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COPYRIGHT DEPOSIT. 



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Up-to-Date 

Truck Growing 

In the South 




By J. R. DAVIS 



Edited by 

G. F. HUNNICUTT 

THE CULTIVATOR PUBLISHING COMPANY 

ATLANTA, GA. 

1910 



d,^ 






.:5i 



Copyrighted, 1910 

by 

THE CULTIVATOR PUBLISHING CO. 



THE CULTIVATOR PUBLISHING CO. 
Publishers 

THE SOUTHERN, Cultivator 

"Ten Acres Enough" 

"Agriculture for the Common Schools" 

"Southern Crops " 

"David Dickson's Farming " 

BOX 798 ATLANTA, GA. 



•C;GI.A2^y2G^ 



CONTENTS 



Preface 7 

Introduction 9 

Tomatoes 45 

Eggplant 54 

Sweet Peppers 60 

Cabbage 62 

Cucumbers 67 

Squashes 71 

Beans 73 

Radishes 76 

Beets 7.8 

Onions 81 

Cantaloupes 85 

Cauliflower 87 

Okra 89 

Turnips 90 

Pumpkins, Salsify, Parsley 91 

Lettuce 92 

Celery 96 

Strawberries 103 

Sweet Potatoes 110 

Watermelons 114 

Cowpeas 118 

Irish Potatoes 121 

Collards, Spinach 1-3 

Fall Irish Potatoes 129 

Winter Cabbage 134 

How We Raised A Crop of Turnips 138 

Watermelon Culture 141 

Collards 149 

Spinach 151 

Onions in the South 154 

Planting Table— Vegetables 170 

Seed Table 171 

Planting Table— Flowers 172 

Monthly Calendar 173 

Maturity of Garden Crops 175 

Spraying Calendar 177 

Formulas 184 



PUBLISHEES' PEEFACE. 

We call attention to tlie fact that Mr. Davis is a quiet, 
plain, straightforward writer. He makes no wonderful 
claims as to profits of the truck business as much depends 
on conditions. But if you are the man, and have the land, 
here is the plan. 

Mr. D'avis says that the knowledge portrayed in this 
book would have saved him thousands of dollars, if he had 
not had to acquire it by experience — that best but most 
costly of teachers. Though there is nothing sensational 
in these pages, a close study and careful practice of the 
directions here given will save you the waste of mucii 
time, energy and capital. Every fact portrayed to the 
most minor detail, by Mr. Davis is based on and has been 
substantiated by actual experience ; he has made no state- 
ments from heresay, and has touched on no crops unless 
he has growTi them with entire success. To make the work 
more complete, "he has kindly allowed us to get a few arti- 
cles from other sources, each of which is properly accred- 
ited. 

Intensive farming is bound to come into its owti, and 
we feel confident that this work will be welcomed by the 
many gardeners and. small farmers in the Gulf and South 
Atlantic coast regions. 



PREFACE. 

In writing this book on "Southern Trucking," I desire 
to say that I am doing so mainly at the request of a num- 
ber of my friends who are engaged in the business, and 
also Who are prospective growers. I am persuaded to do 
so further, owing to the fact that there are no recent works' 
on Southern gardening, and the trucking business has to 
keep up with the times as well as other enterprises. The 
writer does not wish to blow his own horn, but as there 
is no one else to do it for him in the present instance he 
begs pardon while he says' a word or two regarding his 
fitness to do the work in hand. I have been engaged in 
the trucking business in the South for a period extending 
over twenty-five years, and have operated in three South- 
em States, but mainly in Florida. However having vis- 
ited nearly all the trucking sections of the South, and 
many l^orth and West, besides having visited frequently 
the principal markets of the United States and observed 
the methods of disposing of garden produce, I certainly 
feel that I can say something helpful to my brethren who 
are engaged in the business whether professional or ama- 
teur. But I am handling the s'ubject purely from 
the standpoint of a practical and experienced trucker; sci- 
entific questions and theories, I leave to those who are 
better qualified to deal with them. However, I have tried 
to keep pace with these, and as far as they have proven 
to my satisfaction to be productive of good results, I have 
given my experience. There are some subjects of inter- 



est to gardeners that I have not touched upon, not feeling 
that my information on these is full enough to justify me 
in handling them. But what I have said on the subject 
I am confident will be helpful to every one engaged in the 
business. The subject of agriculture is a broad one, and 
we have hardly started on the road to new discoveries. 
We are all beginners as it were and the swiftest line of 
progress lies in the comparison of our personal experience. 

J. R. Davis. 



INTEODUCTION. 

BOIL. 

There are almost as many different kinds of soils in tlie 
South as there are varieties of vegetables grown. Some 
soils are suited to certain crops, and entirely unsuited to 
others. I shall endeavor to advise, as each crop is taken 
up, what class of soil is best adapted to that particular 
crop. In a general way, however, I will say while on 
this subject, that for nearly all crops of vegetables it will 
be found highly profitable to have a deep rich soil, well 
supplied always with an abundance of vegetable matter. 
I can not lay too much stress on the subject of soil fertil- 
ity. The ground should be the farmer's bank, and he can 
rest assured that no bank will pay him such interest on 
judicious deposits. There is no truer saying than "Feed 
the soil and it will feed you." It may be said of clay 
soils that they should be broken deeply, and subsoiled; 
and should be turned deeper each year, but care should 
be taken not to turn deeply at first. In fact no soil, how- 
ever sandy, should be turned deeply at first. The first 
turning should not be over four inches, and the depth 
might increase yearly by one inch, until a depth of six or 
seven inches is reached. 

SOIL RENOVATORS. 

This is a subject of vital importance to every tiller of 
the soil, for no matter what crop he grows, vegetable mat- 
ter or humus must be supplied in all soils to maintain fer- 



Soil, Reistovatoes. 11 

tility. This can be done most economically, from tnrn 
^ ing under one of tlie leguminous crops : such as peas, beans, 
butterbeans, peanuts, clover, vetch. It should be borne in 
mind, however, that in the South no crcop of vegetables' 
should be plowed under until well matured— in fact turn- 
ing should not be' commenced in any Southern State until 
October 1st, unless the crop b© mowed dovwi and allowed to 
lay for ten days. If this be done the turning may be 
done sooner. Turning under green crops in hot weather 
has proven to be detrimental to the soil. There is no 
crop that improves 'land so much as velvet beans, but they 
require a long growing season, and can hardly be recom- 
mended for latitudes north of Middle Georgia. They 
are valuable also for stock, as they produce large crops of 
■ beans, which are fine food for hogs and cattle. They can 
not be turned under until about three weeks after being 
killed by frost, when the vines begin to rot and get brit- 
tle. A good sulky turning plow with large rolling coul- 
ter is the implement to be used for turning velvet beans, 
and the work is done more easily about nine o'clock in 
the morning, after the dew has dried off of the vines, caus- 
- ing them to lose their toughness. This precaution how- 
ever, may not be necessary in stiff clay soil. Every crop, 
whether field or garden, should be followed by one of the 
soil renovators above named. These crops gather nitro- 
gen from the atmosphere and store it in the soil, besides 
improving the mechanical condition of the land. It may 
be said further that, in addition to the plant food obtained 
through their agency, it has been recently discovered by 
the department of agriculture of the United States, that 
cowpeas when following other crops have the power of 



12 Truck Growing in the South. 

neutralizing poisonous excreta, produced by tlie crop pre- 
ceding them; and it may be possible that the other le- 
guminous crops referred to, produce the same results. In 
any case, we know from long experience and observation, 
that the soil improving properties of these leguminous 
crops is so marked that we can not afford to dispense with 
them. If cowpeas are used for the purpose of soil reno- 
vation, one should know whether the soil is infected 
with root knot. If this minute insect is present in the 
soil, the iron pea only should be planted, as' it is the only 
variety that has proven immune to this insect. In fact 
it is my preference of varieties anyway. It is a good 
variety for hay, growing until frost, although it is a shy 
bearer. 

HAY. 

As the trucker must have hay, it is proper that I should 
say a few word's on this subject. ISTo better hay than pea- 
vine hay can be made by the Southern farmer; but unless 
it is first-class and the leaves retained, and free from 
mould, it is not worth saving. In order to do this, it 
must not be allowed to get wet after it has been cut and 
wilted. I have tested nearly all methods I have ever 
heard of, and the only one I have ever found to be purely 
productive of a first-class article of peavine hay, is one of 
my own origination, and while the cost of saving is more 
than in ordinary methods, the quality of the product will 
justify the additional expense. A shed of the following 
dimensions will cure enough hay for four or five head of 
horses, and if a smaller number is kept, the shed may be 
reduced in size. Make an open shed 16x32 feet, using 



Hay. 13 

five posts on each side; cut posts 15 feet long, and put 
them in the ground four feet deep ; nail 2x6 planks across' 
from post to post, beginning three feet from the top, and 
leave a space of about three feet between joists. Then 
put strips about 1^x1% lengthways, resting on the joists, 
allowing a space of 12 inches between the strips. Cover 
the shed so as to exclude rain, and leave the sides and the 
ends open. After the vines have matured, cut them after 
allowing the dew to dry, and allow them to lay in the field 
five or six hours after cutting. Haul up and scatter on 
racks, the same day cut, not allowing them to be wet with 
rain or dew. They can be piled two and a half feet deep 
on the racks, being careful to leave space of six inches 
between racks, and not to pack the hay in putting it up. 
This finishes the job, and in six days you have nice s'weet 
hay, well cured, with the leaves on. Whether it rains 
or not, after six days the hay can be baled or stored away 
and the racks refilled. Other methods are good if you 
have fair weather, but one hard rain will spoil the hay, 
causing it to mould and the leaves to drop. Beggar weed 
makes very fine, sweet hay, but must be cured without 
rain ; and it should be mowed when about a foot high, in 
order that suckers may put out, and to make the stems 
more numerous and smaller. This hay, however, lies 
very close, and can not be well cured by the plan just de- 
scribed. 

FEETILIZEES. 

This is a subject well deserving the careful considera- 
tion of every tiller of the soil, and more especially the 
trucker, who requires a soil high in fertility, and capable 



14 Teuck Geowing in the South. 

of producing large crops of first-class quality. Quality 
as well as quantity depend, to a large extent, upon abund- 
ance of plant food ever ready in the soil. In some sec- 
tions commercial fertilizer has scarcely had an introduc- 
tion to the gardeners, and stable manure is the only plant 
food ever used. This is a great mistake. There is no 
better manure than stable manure, so far as it goes, but 
it is incomplete ration, and in all cases should be supple- 
mented with potash and phosphoric acid. A limited 
quantity of stable manure is advisable for any and all 
soils, where the price is reasonable ; but it will hardly pay 
to use in any quantity where the price is above two dol- 
lars per two-horse load, delivered in the field. Its value 
is based not only on its plant food contents, but aside from 
this it has the power of improving the mechanical condi- 
tion of the soil, and supplying nitrogen-producing bac- 
teria. However it is not advisable to use it too liberally 
on sandy soil, as it has a tendency to cause the land to dry 
out, and renders it thirsty. Care should be taken to avoid 
manure which contains seeds of plants which are objec- 
tionable such as' weeds, crab grass, etc. Broadcasting is 
advisable in applying stable manure, as it brings the ma- 
nure more thoroughly into contact with the soil, and 
causes less drying out of the lands. Commercial fertiliz- 
ers are little understood by the farming public in general, 
and they need to be better educated along this line. My 
experience in the home-mixing of commercial fertilizers 
has been highly satisfactory, and the best crops I have 
ever grown have been produced with my own mixtures. 
While I loiow that I am antagonizing the interests of fer- 
tilizer manufactures by advocating home mixtures, I wish 



Fektilizeks. 15 

to saj I am writing .this book in the interest of truck 
growers and propose to give my experience and ideas on 
this. Ready mixed goods are sold everywhere on time 
and agricultural chemicals are strictly cash. The reason 
for this should be obvious to every thinking mind. The 
fact is, that on mixed goods the profit is large and on un-- 
mixed it is small. Mixing can be done with a hoe for 
fifty cents per ton and you know what you have when it is 
mixed. Besides you are saving five to ten dollars per ton 
by doing your own mixing. You are buying a pig in the 
bag when you buy a ton of mixed fertilizer ; there is not 
living the chemist who can tell you what you are buying. 
The fertilizer manufacturer does not tell you what you are 
buying ; he says "made from dried blood, tankage, nitrate 
of soda, ground bone and sulphate of potash." He does 
not say how much of each ingredient is used in the mix- 
tures. It matters' not whether the home mixtures fit the 
formula exactly and while it may not be quite so exact as 
the machine mixed goods you will surely get the results 
provided the ingredients are purchased of a reliable 
dealer. Besides you have the privilege of having analysis 
made free of charge in most States; every gardener should 
avail himself of this privilege. In all mixture some or- 
ganic matter should be used, be the quantity ever so 
small: either blood, blood and bone, ground fish, cotton- 
seed meal, or linseed-meal. This is for the purpose of 
supplying to the soil micro-organisms, which will facili- 
tate nitrification. The kind of organic material to be 
used should depend upon the market value. Of the kinds 
. named above, I prefer cottonSeed-meal. It must, how- 
ever^ be borne in mind, that when the percentage of am- 



16 Teuok Growing in the South. 

monia is largely from organic sources, the fertilizer must 
be applied about two weeks in advance of planting or plant 
setting; and then should be well stirred before planting is 
done. If, however, the percentage of organic matter, is 
small, say one or two per cent, of ammonia derived from 
organic matter, fertilizer can be applied at the time of 
planting, provided not more than 800 pounds per acre be 
used, but it should be well stirred with the soil. Plants are 
often killed or nearly so by injudicious fertilizing. In all 
cases where plants or seeds are put in the furrow and fertil- 
izing is done at planting time, a small ridge should be 
thrown up, with a double shovel ; the fertilizer thrown upon 
the ridge; and the ridge opened with a bull tongue. This 
prevents the fertilizer from coming in direct contact with 
the roots of plants or seeds, and enables them to start off 
before being affected by the fertilizer. If the plants or 
seeds are put upon a ridge, mix the fertilizer thoroughly 
with the soil before planting. A good all-round fertilizer 
should analyze about 5 per cent, ammonia, 6 per cent, 
available phosphoric acid, and 5 per cent, potash. Some 
crops require a little more potash. Potatoes should have 
about 8 per cent, potash. In case of excessive rains, it is 
advisable to use a little nitrate of soda scattered broadcast 
over the ground. One to two hundred pounds per acre 
will be suflScient for most crops. The additional use of ni- 
trate of soda is advisable on crops requiring luxuriant 
growth of foliage such as cabbage, lettuce, beets, celery, 
etc., and should be applied at intervals of about ten days 
or two weeks. It is unnecessary to plow in soda as the 
dew will dissolve it, and nothing is lost by evaporation. 
For all crops requiring more than 90 days to mature, two 



Feetii-izees. 17 

or more applications of fertilizer should be made. This 
is more important on sandy soils. 

AMMONIA. 

As sources of ammonia, I would advise the following 
ingredients: Diried blood, blood and bone, cottonseed- 
meal and ground fish as organic, and sulphate of ammonia 
or nitrate of soda, as inorganic — one per cent, at least, of 
nitrate of soda should be used in all mixtures to start the 
plant. 

POTASH. 

While many use sulphate, at an additional cost of about 
five dollars per ton, I have used muriate for the past fif- 
teen years, and I am sure the results justify my action. 
By using muriate there is a saving of about five dollars 
per ton, and I believe for most crops it is to be preferred 
to sulphate. Muriate does not make mealy -potatoes like 
sulphate, but this difference rarely ever makes any differ- 
ence in the market value of the product. Muriate has 
a tendency to sweetness, and sulphate to acidity, in some 
fruits and vegetables. 

KAINIT. 

Some recommend kainit as a source of potash. From 
an economical standpoint I would not recommend it, but 
it may, have some merit as a preventer of rust in some 
crops. In this case it might be advisable. 



18 Truck Growing in the South, 

rORMULA. 

The following is a good all-round formula for truck 
crops generally: 

800 lbs. cottonseed-meal, 8 per cent, ammonia. 
200 lbs. nitrate of soda, 18 per cent, ammonia. 
800 lbs. acid phosphate, 14 per cent, available phos- 
phoric acid. 
200 lbs. muriate of potash, 50 per cent, actual potash. 

2,000 

This gives 2,000 pounds, analyzing 5 per cent, ammo- 
nia, 5 3-10 per cent, available phosphoric acid, and 5 per 
cent, actual potash. If the mixture is wanted to use at 
planting time, ' the quantity of cottonseed-meal should be 
cut down, so as not to exceed 2 per cent, ammonia derived 
from that source, and the supplement of nitrate of sodn 
increased to make about 5 per cent, of the total mixture. 
In case cottonseed-meal should be too high to justify its 
use, other organic materials should be used. It should be 
borne in mind that no commercial mixtures will have the 
full effect, unless the soil is kept well supplied with humus 
as heretofore directed. An excessive quantity of am- 
monia should never be used on tomatoes and eggplant, as 
it causes a rank vine growth and shedding of fruit. Its 
detrimental effect is marked more on these crops than 
others. 

MIXING. 

If mixing is to be done by hand, the different ingre- 
dients should be spread upon a smooth floor, taking care 



Febtilizees. 19 

to have tlie layers of eacli uniform, and as near the same 
thickness as possible. Then take a wide hoe and, com- 
mence on one side of the pile and mix thoroughly. Then 
rake up the whole mass into a sharp pile. Turn the pile 
from one side until the whole has been turned, and then 
turn back in the opposite direction. Three' turnings' will 
suffice, and the cost will be about fifty cents per ton. Of 
course the mixing can not be done as accurately by hand 
as by machinery, but it is good enough for all practical 
purposes. If the grower should prefer having it mixed 
by machinery, he can give his formula and have his fer- 
tilizer dealer do so at a nominal cost. Some growers 
make their formulas and stipulate what materials are to 
be used in their manufacture, and have the dealers put 
them up for a specified sum. This plan is good if you 
are dealing with a reliable house. You can also purchase 
hand or power mixers at a low cost, or make one still 
cheaper. 

ROTATIOl^. 

In order to produce good crops where the land is used 
continually, rotation of crops is of the utmost importance. 
One crop should 'Uot be followed by another of the same 
kind under any circumstances. Even where a summer 
crop of legumes, weeds, grass, or clover follow any crop 
of vegetables, it is better to let the succeeding crop of veg- 
etables be different from the kind last planted, and as 
much different in character as possible. For instance a 
root crop should not follow a root crop nor a vine crop 
follow vine crop. Extended experience and observation 




Showing System of "Double Cropping" — Note Young Plant 
Rows Between Laeqee Ones. 



KOTATION. 21 

kave demonstrated this. One important reason for rota- 
tion is to avoid disease. All plants are subject to some 
disease or diseases, and a continued planting of the same 
crop on the land causes the disease to increase, often rend- 
ering it impossible to grow that particular crop at all. 
This is especially true of tomatoes. Continued growing of 
tomatoes on the same land causes the land to become in- 
fested with blight, which it requires years to eradicate 
from the soil. 

The prevention of disease is one of the most important 
features of successful gardening, and the best and surest 
way of preventing it is by judicious rotation. The old 
adage, "an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure," 
never finds a more appropriate place than here. I have 
little faith in growing vegetables successfully where the 
soil is infested with disease. It is sometimes advisable 
to spray for diseases, but the safest way of obviating them 
is to never let them get a hold on the land, and this can be 
best accomplished by proper crop rotation. 

ROOT KNOT. 

H... ■■- -r '•'■ ■■ ■ ■ "-.^"■^.^■^1^ 

There is a minute insect, visible only through the mi- 
croscope, which causes enlargement of roots of many 
crops; and where the soil is badly infested with it, it is 
very destructive to many vegetables. Some plants are en- 
tirely immune, others partially, while a great many suc- 
cumb to it. It is a great pest, and once present in the 
soil it is very difficult to eradicate. I know of no prac- 
tical way of dealing with it, except to starve it, and by 
planting for a number of years crops' that are immune. 



22 Truck Growing in the South. 

Machines that are used in France which pnmp bisulphide 
of carbon through the soil, but this method of eradication 
is necessarily very expensive, and hardly worth consider- 
ing. Here the ounce of prevention attains its highest value. 
Perhaps the most universal means of distributing this 
great pest is through the agency of plants from seed beds' 
which are infested. Plants coming from an infested 
seed bed should never, be used, or preferably no ground 
that contains the smallest quantity of root knot should 
be used for seed beds. 'New gTOund should always be 
used, but if it is adjacent to infested fields, care should be 
taken that the new ground contains no weeds, as this in- 
sect will go from old fields to weeds that grow on virgin 
soil. Therefore before planting your seed bed, examine 
the weeds, if any are growing, and see that you have no 
root knot. Very few garden vegetables are immune to 
this insect, some however have gTeat power of resistance, 
but never produce maximum crops where it is present. 
Sweet peppers and carrots are the only vegetables that I 
know to be entirely immune. Cabbage, cauliflower, let- 
tuce, squash, eggplant, tomatoes, and beets have gTeat 
power of resistance, and will produce good crops where 
the land is infested very badly, provided they are kept in 
a thrifty condition. Okra, cukes, cantaloupes and water- 
melons can scarcely be grown at all on infested land. 

PLANT DISEASES. 

Plant disease is nearly always caused by continuous 
cropping or unfavorable conditions. The gardener 
should always aim to exercise judicious rotation, keep the 



Plant Diseases; 23 

soil well stirred, and avoid deep planting on wet lands or 
in cold weather. TKe lack of air in the soil and excessive 
moisture often bring on disease. Low lands should be 
well drained, and if they are ever liable to become soggy 
from excessive rains they should be tiled. Crops that are 
to be grown in winter or early spring should be planted 
on a slight ridge, and the surface of the ground should be 
frequently stirred. This lets in the air and sunshine to 
the roots of the plants and causes a healthy growth. It 
goes' a long way toward warding off disease. Any check 
in the growth of a plant, no matter from what cause, in- 
vites disease, and furthermore renders the plant less capa- 
ble of resistance. Plants should never be transplanted 
before a healthy growth is shown by the leaves. Plants 
that are stunted and have not begun a vigorous growth will 
show disease after being transplanted, where healthy 
plants would not. I have used nearly all the standard 
fungicides which are recommended for various plant dis- 
eases, and I must say that results rarely ever justify their 
use. In lieu of fungicides I would prescribe the harrow, 
drainage, irrigation, and nitrate of soda, as the best rem- 
edy for plant diseases in general. If disease is caused 
from continuous growth of a crop on one piece of land, I 
would advise a discontinuation of that crop until disease 
has disappeared. Certain diseases are peculiar to certain 
crops, and will not effect others, except in rare instances. 
For instance I have grown 1,000 crates per acre of egg- 
plant when it would not have produced ten crates per acre 
of tomatoes, although these plants belong to the same 
family. This land was badly infested with bacterial to 
mato blight and would not grow tomatoes. 



24 Tkuok Growing in the South. 

INSECTS. 

The amount of damages done bj insects to the crops of 
the United States is something alarming, and the trucker 
comes in for his share of the damages rendered by the 
bug. There should be concert of action by truckers of 
the same community, with a view to reducing the number 
of injurious insects which would go far toward reducing 
to a minimum the ravages done to garden crops. By co- 
operation of the gardeners of the same community, there 
are many kinds of injurious insects that could be almost 
annihilated. The preservation of insect enemies, such as 
insectivorous birds, lizards, toads, wasps, etc., would go far 
toward solving the insect problem. However there are 
methods by which loss by insects may be reduced if per- 
sistently followed. Of all the insects which the gardener 
has to deal with perhaps the most destructive is the cut- 
worm. There are a number of diiferent species of this 
worm, but their habits are practically the same, and all 
can be destroyed by the same methods. In warm climates 
such as Florida and the Southern portion of the Gulf 
States, this worm never hibernates, but is active all winter. 
This continuous increased activity of the worm calls for in- 
creased activity on the part of the trucker. In order to deal 
intelligently with this worm, some knowledge of its habits 
is necessary. The butterfly deposits the egg only where 
there is some green crop growing at the time of laying. 
In about a week the egg hatches and the worm starts out 
on his destructive career. He cuts down the plants and 
lives on the fat of the land until he is full grown. Then 
he puts on his overcoat and remains inactive for a while. 



Insects. 25 

After a short while he emerges a full fledged butterfly 
again and sallies forth in search of pastures green and re- 
member he never stops until he finds them. A knowledge 
of this habit is valuable to every trucker. If his land is 
broken and free from vegetation for three or four weeks 
before planting, he need have no fear of cut worms in lati- 
tudes where they do not hibernate, because that space of 
time allows the larvae to become grown, they enter the 
pupa state, then the butterfly, and go away in search of 
crops. However as it is not always practicable to get 
the land free of vegetation for the length of time required, 
other preventive or destructive measures are necessary. 
It is well to know what crops attract this worm, and the 
ones that do not. You will never find the worm on land 
where there grows a crop upon which they do not feed. 
The method of cleaning the ground before planting is 
therefore unnecessary in such cases. Most vegetables are 
inviting to worms with the following exceptions however, 
snap beans, squashes, carrots, turnips, ruta bagas. They 
are especially fond of beets and English peas. Summer 
crops of cowpeas afford inviting pastures for w>rm?, but 
velvet beans, beggar weeds, corn, oats and sweet potatoes 
do not attract them. If it is not practicable to keep the 
land clean for several weeks before planting, where worms 
are liable to be plentiful, it is well to make two applica- 
tions, broadcast, about a week apart, of the following 
mixture: One bushel wheat bran, two pounds paris 
green, one quart molasses mixed in enough water to wet 
the bran so as it will be thoroughly wet. Mix thoroughly 
and scatter one-half bushel per acre and repeat in about 
a week. If, however, you find, after setting your plants 



26 Tkuck Growing in the South. 

that the worms are present in large nnmbers, go over im- 
mediately after setting, late in the afternoon, and drop 
by each plant a small lump of the mixture about the size 
of a pea. If the worms are not numerous enough to jus- 
tify in doing this, but only a few hills cut down, before 
replanting drop a little of the mixture by each plant cut 
down, and replant the next day. One application will 
generally get all the worms which are hatched, but as 
others may be hatching it is well to repeat the dose in 
about a week. Frequently when there are no cutworms 
at planting time, the crop planted attracts the butterfly, 
and you have plenty of worms in a few weeks after set- 
ting. They are often destructive to fruit, especially to- 
matoes and eggplant. It is advisable in such cases, to go 
over the field about when the plants begin to set fruit, and 
drop a little of the mixture by each plant. Use the pois- 
oned bran liberally, and you will get back five to ten dol- 
lars for every dollar spent. 

Aphids are another pest causing great loss, to vine 
crops particularly. They appear on the under side of the 
leaf and suck the vitality out of the plant. They have a 
special liking for eggplant, and are most active during 
dry, cool weather. Usually they disappear after a i&w 
hard rains, and when the nights begin to grow warm. 
This class of insects can be handled only by mixtures 
which suffocate them by stopping the pores in their bodies 
through which they breathe. Rosin wash is perhaps the 
best, being cheap and harmless to plants. It will be nec- 
essary to apply the wash with a nozzle and elbow in or- 
der to reach the insect. The proper time to make the ap- 
plication is when the aphids first appear. If the work is 



Insects. 2Y 

thorough, thej may be stamped out with a minimum of 
spraying. They increase with marvelous rapidity, and 
unless they are checked at the outset destructive measures 
will be found very costly. 

Practically all leaf eating insects can be handled satis- 
factorily with paris green. The best method of applying 
is with a blow-gun. Use the pure paris green, putting it 
on while the plants are wet with dew, or just after a rain. 
The paris green should be put on just heavy enough to be 
able to detect it when it comes out of the blow-gun. Some 
plants' have foliage so tender that green can not be 
used. Snap beans and butterbeans will require arsenate 
of lead used as a spray, as this preparation is less caustic 
than paris green. However most garden vegetables are 
sufficiently resistant to the caustic effects of the paris 
green to admit of its use without injury to the foliage. 

For worms boring into the tomato, thorough hand pick- 
ing is the only practical remedy. These worms usually 
begin their work as soon as the fruit begins to set. The 
butterfly deposits the egg on the surface of the tomato, 
and as soon as the egg hatches the larva bores into the to- 
mato, placing itself beyond the reach of poison. The 
field should be gone over carefully once a week for several 
weeks, and every tomato picked off that shows a worm 
hole. This fruit should be buried deeply in the ground 
and covered up. While the picking of wormy tomatoes 
is being done every scarred tomato should be taken off 
also, and you will find that you will have a crop of beau- 
tiful fine smooth fruit with very few culls. This method 
of hand-picking will be found profitable especially in to- 
mato fields that are pruned and staked. 



28 Teuck Growing in the South. ■ 

Grasshoppers sometimes do considerable damage, espe- 
cially in early fall crops. The mixture recommended 
for cutworms is destructive to grasshoppers as well as 
worms, and in using it in the fall two birds may be killed 
with one stone. Grasshoppers are rarely ever trouble- 
some in early spring. 

SEEDS. 

In dealing with this subject quality should be the only 
question considered. Buy your seeds only from houses 
that are known to be reliable beyond question. Poor 
seeds will often entail a loss amounting to a hundred 
sometimes' a thousand times the value of the seed even if 
they show good vitality. Perhaps the safest and most 
economical rule is to get in touch with reliable growers 
and buy direct from the grower. Communities can bunch 
their orders and get their seeds at wholesale by this plan. 
In buying potatoes, it is advisable, if possible, to have the 
seed fields inspected, and get seeds free from blight. This 
disease has been carried over the entire South through 
the agency of infected seed and no doubt the yields are ma- 
terially reduced on account of its prevelance. Most seeds 
are just as good grown in the South as Northern grown, 
and better for certain plants. The following seeds are 
recommended to be gro^\Ti in the South: Watermelons, 
cucumbers, okra, sweet peppers, eggplant, and squash. 
However it is well to get ISTorthern grown seed every few 
years, with which to grow your seed stock. For fall crops 
of potatoes, the small Southern grown seed matured in 
early summer is recommended, and the potato should be 




A Hot House Pays fob' Itself in a Few Years on the Truck 

Farm. 



30 Truck Growing in the South. 

planted whole. Potatoes should be dug and dried out for 
several months before planting, to insure prompt germi- 
nation. It is well to test seeds before planting, especially 
if you have any doubt of their vitality. Some seeds re- 
quire a high temperature to germinate — ^such are peppers 
and eggplant. Most seeds however will germinate at a 
temperature of 80 degrees. A good and convenient way 
of testing seeds, is to take a few bushels of stable manure 
and dampen it, and put your seeds' in a wet cloth and 
place in the centre of the manure heap. If the seeds are 
good they will sprout in a few days. Another way is to 
plant shallow in a small box containing soil, and cover 
over with a pane of window glass and place in the sun- 
shine. By this plan you can germinate most seeds any- 
time in winter, when the temperature does not fall below 
35 degrees at night. 

SEED BEDS. 

For Florida and the lower part of the Gulf States, hot 
beds strictly speaking, are rarely necessary. For section.? 
further north, however, artificial heat is required. In 
preparing hot beds' I will say that there are better authori- 
ties on the subject, but for the amateur the following in- 
structions will be found useful. If sash are to be used, 
the bed should be as wide as the sash is long, and made 
as near air-tight as possible and built sloping toward the 
South. The northern sides being of inch boards about 18 
inches in height and ten inches for the south side. Take 
out about three inches of the top soil, place it on one side 
of the bed, then dig out six inches deeper, placing this soil 



Seed Beds. 31 

on the nortli side of tlie bed and banking it up against 
the boards, after the latter are placed in position. Put iu 
the bottom of the bed six inches of fresh stable manure 
and wet it thoroughly, tramping it down after wetting. 
In about a week fork this over, wetting again. Then 
place on this manure about three inches of surface soil, 
pack and rake off smoothly. Then sow the seed and 
keep the soil sufficiently moist to insure germination. If 
covered with sash, the bed should be watched, and the 
temperature never allowed to go above 85 degrees. A 
thermometer should be kept inside, and the sash raised 
when the temperature goes above 80. Sash are quite ex- 
pensive, and may be dispensed with in most localities, by 
using a heavy domestic. Where cloth is used instead of 
"sash, the bed should be eight feet wide and ten-inch 
boards north and south may be used, taking care to have 
the plank fit tight. Rake up the soil and bank it for six 
inches on the plank so as to exclude cold. Sew the domes- 
tics three widths together, in length from 80 to 100 feet. 
Then soak it in boiled linseed oil, wring it as dry as possi- 
ble, and let it lay in the sun till dry. The bed should 
have pieces about two by two running across at intervals 
of eight feet nailed to each side, but coming one inch be- 
low the top of the boards. Then drive a stake under- 
neath each cross piece about center of bed. Then lay 
small strips lengthwise the bed about two or three feet 
apart. Drive a six-penny nail every two feet into the top 
of each side, slanting, outward. These nails are for the 
purpose of hooking on the sheet. The sheet can then be 
rolled on a round pole about ten feet long, and when 
wanted for a cover, roll out on the bed and hooked on. If 



Seed Beds. 33 

this oiled sheet is kept on, it will produce almost as much 
heat as glass. The same precaution against high temper- 
ature should be used as in the case of sash. It is well to 
have a lot of grass or hay handy, and in case of severe 
cold, this' should be piled on the sheet to the depth of 
twelve inches. By this method, I have saved the tender- 
est plants at a temperature of 17 degrees, and I believe 
it would save them as low as 14. Eemember all plants 
need all the sunshine possible, and should be uncovered 
every two days and let them have sun. The ground 
should be frequently stirred also, in order to admit the air 
to the roots. The ground should be kept sufficiently moist 
to insure healthy growth, but in case of peppers and egg- 
plant, should be kept as dry as possible consistent with 
steady growth. These directions apply to the growing of 
tender plants and are not necessary in growing such plants 
as lettuce, cabbage, cauliflower, etc. In growing these tht 
cloth may be used without oil, and a smaller quantity of 
stable manure used. In many sections this class of 
plants can be grown in the open, however with some risk 
of being killed. ISTo plant while in this seed bed should 
be stimulated into rapid growth. You should endeavor 
to maintain a steady, healthy growth and keep the soil 
well stirred to insure an abundant root growth. If the 
plants should cease growing and become stunted, a light 
application of nitrate of soda and a little watering will 
put them in shape. In selecting the seed bed, care should 
be taken to destroy cutworms before planting, and it 
should not be planted on any land that has been planted 
in the same vegetables' for several years previous. ISTew 
soil is preferable. 



34 Truck Growing in the South, 

TRAISrSPLANTING. 

In all sections of the South, transplanting of tomatoes 
and eggplant into cold frames is advisable. It not only 
enables one to get in the crop earlier, but insures the 
plant against dying, and nearly always enables the grower 
to produce a better crop. It is not so important that sweet 
peppers be transplanted, as they produce a heavy root 
even where they are grown thick in the bed, but to insure 
good roots slow growth and well aerated soil are required. 
The distance given plants in transplanting depends upon 
the length of time plants are to remain in the bed, and 
whether they are to be taken up without loosing the dirt 
from their roots. In the latter case 5x5 is a good dis- 
tance, and care should be taken to have all sticks and trash 
out of the transplanting bed, in order that the plants may 
be taken out in squares' of dirt with a sharp butcher's 
knife. This method of transplanting, however, is quite 
expensive, except on a small scale. For field work I 
would give the following directions. Prepare your trans- 
planting bed the same as for the seed bed, except leave 
out stable manure. Use about 1,000 pounds per acre of 
good vegetable fertilizer, using no organic matter. Fer- 
tilize broadcast and stir in well with cultivator, allowing 
the bed to remain ten days before transplanting, then open 
a furrow with a sharp pointed tool the entire length of 
the bed. Have furrows seven inches apart. Open one 
furrow, place plant roots in bottom of furrows two inches 
apart, and put in just enough dirt to cover the roots. Then 
pour in enough water to soak the roots well, covering them 
with wet dirt. Then fill the furrow and open another 



. Tkansplanting. 35 

and so on until the bed is finished. Care should be taken 
to use plenty of water. Then cover the bed with the sheet 
and allow it to remain for three days ; after three days, 
allow sunshine at least every other day. One watering 
will do for tomatoes, but eggplant should be watered every 
two days for a week after setting. Remember never to 
transplant or set a plant in the field until the ground is 
warm. ITever set when a cold spell is coming. You should 
keep in touch with the weather man. 'No plant will root at 
a low temperature, and if a cold spell should come on im- 
mediately after setting your plant will suffer because they 
are unable to take root. In the case of eggplant and pep- 
pers, at the transplanting, commencing a week aftorv>^a.rd, 
take a long, sharp tool and keep the ground between the 
•rows opened as deep as or deeper than the roots of the 
plants. This is not necessary with tomatoes. However 
the soil should be kept well stirred. When the plants are 
ready to go in the field, they may be taken up with a 
prong hoe in order to save all the roots' possible. Other 
than tomatoes and eggplant it is hardly advisable to trans- 
plfiut in the bed. 

SEED SOWING. 

In sowing seed, to insure a stand, three things are re- 
quired: Vitality of seed, proper temperature, and suffi- 
cient moisture. As before stated some seed require a 
higher temperature to germinate than others. You can 
plant deeper when the ground is warm than when cold, 
therefore no standard depth of planting can be given. 
When the ground is at a normal temperature, planting 



36 Truck Gkowing in the South. 

should be about one-sixtb of an inch for cabbage and sim- 
imilar seeds which sprout quickly. For larger seeds such 
as beans, about one inch. Beets however should be plant- 
ed about two inches, and unless the ground is quite moist 
soak for twenty-four hours in warm water. Firming the 
soil after planting is' important in all cases, unless irriga- 
tion is used in which case it is unnecessary. Firming the 
soil is for the purpose of retaining moisture until the seed 
sprouts and is all important. 

Weeds are a curse to the trucker and precautionary 
measures should be taken to prevent their appearance in 
the garden. If any should appear they should be de- 
stroyed before their seeds mature. Polk weeds carry root 
knot, and other weeds harbor diseases, besides they are all 
destructive to growing crops, and ruin the hay crop which 
follows vegetables. Their presence in the garden is usu- 
ally attributable to the use of stable manure, and their 
presence in stable manure is caused by the use of hay con- 
taining weed seeds'. Therefore it is important that weeds 
be eliminated from the hay fields thereby nipping the evil 
in the bud. 

BERMUDA GRASS. 

While this is a very fine pasture grass in the South, 
and especially in the lower South, it is perhaps the great- 
est pest that ever appeared in the garden. Great care 
should be taken to have no seeds or roots of this' grass in 
the stable manure, as like weeds, its presence in the field 
is nearly always chargeable to the use of manure contain- 
ing grass seeds. When it is discovered that a few sprigs 



Bermuda Geass. 37 

of this grass have obtained a foothold in the garden, it 
should be taken up, carefully getting every root. If the 
field once becomes vp^ell set with it, the process of hand- 
digging becomes too expensive. Heavy shading in the 
summer has a tendency to reduce it, and nearly destroys 
it sometimes, but like the cat it has nine lives and will re- 
appear next spring. I have discovered a way of entirely 
eradicating it at three plowings in dry weather. If your 
land is set with Bermuda never turn it with a turning 
plow until the grass has been destroyed. The best time 
to destroy it is in dry, warm weather. Take a common 
two-horse potato digger, with a shovel and fingers. (This 
costs about nine dollars.) Let it go deep, and run fur- 
rows about two feet apart, so as to uproot all the grass at 
first plowing. The fingers of the digger bring the grass 
to the top of the ground. In five days go over again, run- 
ning 214 feet, so as t3 leave the field in ridges. Eeturn 
again in five days and burst out these ridges, and if you 
have no rain during the plowing, and ground remains dry, 
you will have entirely destroyed the grass, if your field is 
free from stumps and roots, so that the plow can be kept in 
the ground. If you have roots and stumps hand-digging 
will have to be resorted to, to remove it from around 
stumps and roots. It is presumed that the averaged gar- 
dener will realize the economy of taking out all stumps 
and roots from the land to be used for trucking purposes. 

]^UT GEASS. 

This is another pest, and when once is harder to de- 
stroy than Bermuda. This is due to the fact that it pro- 
duces nuts which when matured can not be destroyed by 



38 Tkuck Growing in the South. 

plowing. When it first appears be careful to remove 
every root and shoot underneath the ground, and take out 
all the nuts and burn or destroy them. If the land once 
becomes well set there is only one practical way of deal- 
ing with it, and that is to turn in a lot of hogs. They 
will in the course of a few months root out and destroy 
practically all the nuts. They should not be fed during 
the while, but allowed to hustle for their living. It is 
preferable to allow the porkers to work in winter, as sum- 
mer rooting and exposure is; very injurious to the soil. 

lEEIGATION. 

This is a subject that is now commanding the attention 
of intelligent gardeners everywhere. Even in Florida 
where the annual rainfall is over 50 inches, it is the best 
investment that a trucker can make, and every trucker 
who is able is putting in irrigation. On an average, the 
assurance of abundance of water when wanted about 
doubles the yield of vegetable crops and guarantees vege- 
tables of first quality. The matter of quality is one of 
much importance. For instance, the writer, a few years 
ago, had under irrigation a patch of beans, which he sold 
right along for five dollars a bushel, while non-irrigated 
stock were bringing about one dollar and fifty cents. Be- 
sides the yield from the irrigated patch was perhaps four 
times as much per acre as the non-irrigated. The former 
during the dryest weather were crisp and tender, while 
the latter were too tough to be marketable. Abundance of 
water frequently hasten the crop to maturity by several 
weeks, and consequently the product realizes a much bet- 




StTBFACE IrEIGATIO??'. 



40 Teuok Growing in the South. 

ter price. There are three systems of irrigation used in 
gardening: First, running the water along^the rows ou 
the surface; second, sub-irrigation, which consists of car- 
rying the water underneath the surface in porous tile; 
third, spraying the water over the surface by the use of 
pipe nozzles and pumps driven by steam or gasoline en- 
gines. While either system is far better than no irriga- 
tion, the first is to be recommended only to parties who 
are not able to install better systems. In using the first 
a uniform fall of three inches to the 100 feet, is required, 
and a thorough wetting once a week should be made, and 
light harrowing should be done within a few days after 
watering. The second system has proven to be very sat- 
isfactory on land that is low, and requires draining, and 
where cheap artesian wells can be had, as no power is re- 
quired to distribute the water, and the tile acts as drains 
during the wet weather. On all soils where cheap arte- 
sian flowing wells can not be had, or which do not require 
draining surface, irrigation or spraying is in all cases to 
be recommended. Of all the systems, the Skinner system 
made by the Skinner Irrigation Co., is by far the best. In 
fact I do not see where any material improvement can be 
made on this system. It consists of lines of small pipe, set 
upon posts overhead, fifty feet apart, with small brass noz- 
zles, every four feet, in each line of pipe. The water is 
forced out through these small nozzles in the shape of fine 
spray, and never packs the ground. These lines of pipe can 
be turned at any angle, and by an ingenious turning device 
every pipe on a twenty-acre plant can be turned by 
simply moving a lever. By the use of a gasoline engine, 
a twenty-acre plant can be watered thoroughly and uni- 



Ieeigation. 41 

formly, at a cost of one hour of labor in addition to fuel 
cost. The writer now has twenty-nine acres of this sys- 
tem in operation, and has been putting in more of it each 
year. On each plot that has been installed, the first crop 
has paid more than twice the cost of the entire plant, in- 
cluding pipe, nozzles, fittings, installed complete, well, 
pump, engine, and piping for $200.00 per acre. When 
no well has to be dug this cost can be reduced. Its ad- 
vantages are first, economy of construction, from the fact 
that a small quantity of water is carried through the noz- 
zles, and in consequence small pipe can be used; second, 
the light mist-like spray falls like a light rain, and does 
not pack the ground, making it unnecessary to cultivate 
after each watering. Third, uniformity of distribution 
'of water. ]^o other system of spray approaches it in this 
respect. Fourth, the protection against frost, aft'orded by 
wetting the ground just before frost, causing the closing 
of the soil pores, and the cessation of variation which pro- 
duces frost. Fifth, economy of application of water. The 
gardener can with this system apply the water while he 
sits down after supper and reads his daily paper. (A visit 
to his engine about once per hour is all that is necessary.) 
Sixth, spraying for insects or disease can be done most 
economically and effectually by this method, and would 
require only twenty minutes to spray a twenty-acre field. 
In saying what I have about this system, I do not wish 
to be understood in all cases as placing it above the excel- 
lent system of sub-irrigation already mentioned. This is 
the system to be preferred in a low soil, and where cheap 
artesian wells can be had, and is being used with excellent 
results in many localities. 



PACKING AND MAEKETING. 

A few general remarks will not be out of place on tliis 
subject. Every grower should bave bis private brand, 
and if bis goods are bonestly sorted and packed it will pay 
bim. Tbe writer bas bad many carloads of vegetables 
sold before tbey reach the market because his brand was 
known and buyers have confidence in his goods. All 
kinds of vegetables should be graded, and the fancy goods 
should be packed in the best possible manner, putting in 
gTade goods should never be packed under this brand. 
After the vegetables are graded, the fancies particularly 
should be packed in the best popular manner, putting iu 
enough to fill the crate so that it will appear full on ar- 
rival at destination. Further it should be made as at- 
tractive as possible, as appearance goes a long way in sell 
ing. If possible communities should get together and 
ship in car lots. Much is saved in freight, and the goods 
always arrive in better condition. The crates should ])e 
put in cars and nailed down with slats, allowing air 
spaces between each row of crates. The following vege- 
tables require refrigeration : lettuce, beets, snap beans, 
English peas, celery, carrots, cauliflower, cantaloupes, and 
ripe tomatoes'. Ventilated cars may be used for the fol- 
lowing, if the weather is not too warm: cabbage, pota- 
toes, squash, cucumbers, eggplant, peppers, tomatoes, but 
if weather is very warm, all of these will require ice ex 
cept, perhaps, eggplant, green tomatoes and potatoes. 



Tomatoes. 45 



TOMATOES. 

To the market gardner this is the most important truck 
crop grown in the South, and in all probabilities the most 
profitable when judiciously grown and packed and mar- 
keted. The writer has more knowledge of, and expe- 
rience with, this particular crop perhaps than any oth'>r. 
Twenty years ago this crop was grown to a very small ex- 
tent in the South and scarcely at all for shipment. Now 
thousands of carloads are annually grown in the South 
for Northern use. The shipping season in extreme 
southern Florida begins in December and continues stead- 
ily all through winter. As the spring advances Southern 
shipments cease and the shipping time advances north- 
ward, until about July the fifth, when Jersey stock sup- 
plies the big Eastern markets. 

Vauieties. 

As shipping varieties only are to be considered in this 
work, I will name the following to be recommended for 
general truck growing: Paragon, Livingston's, Stone, 
Redfield Beauty, Globe. The Globe is a new variety that 
is giving excellent results, and is proving a favorite every- 
where. For land that is effected with blight, Duke of 
York is the only variety to be recommended, in fact so 
far it is the only variety that has proven resistant to 
blight. For an extra early tomato where pruning is 



46 Teuck Growing in the South. 

adopted, the old Acme is by far the best variety. It sur- 
passes them all in earliness and vigor, and the fmit com- 
mands a better price than any other variety. It is often 
quoted in the market from 25 cents to 50 cents above 
other varieties. It is a heavy fruiter, but in order to 
make fair-sized fruit, it must be pruned and topped when 
there are five bunches of fruit set. 

Al>DITIONAIi ON THE SuBJBCT OF ToMATOES. 

Since this subject was disposed of there has come to 
light a new and valuable variety of tomato. In fact its 
virtues and superiority over other varieties are so loudly 
and Imanimously acclaimed I feel that I should say some- 
thing of my recent experience with and knowledge of it. 
This new tomato is the Globe. It was introduced several 
years ago and has been thoroughly tested' all over Florida, 
and the writer being a grower of tomato plants for sale is 
in a position to know just what the trucking public thinks 
of it. Besides I have seen it grown and have gTown a 
crop since this subject was closed. It is an early tomato, 
and a heavy early fruiter, setting nearly all the first 
fruits. I have frequently counted as many as six fruit 
■on one bunch. It is well shaped and good size. But its 
chief merit is its hardiness. It is said by many to be 
blight resistant. Some say not but it is certainly the 
.-hardiest tomato now known with the exception possibly of 
;-tiie,Puke of York. Combining as it does the features of 
-hardiness and being early an(l prolific,- I would unhesita^t- 
4ngly recommend it in preference to all other varieties for 
Florida and it should be tested everywhere. 



■M. 



A Two-Pound "Gkeatee Baltimore" Tomato. 



48 Truck Growing in the South. 

Setting. 
As this crop will not stand a temperature lower than 
33 under ordinary conditions, the beds must be protected 
from early frost. As the question of earliness is impor- 
tant with tomatoes, in many cases it is advisable to trans- 
plant four inches apart and hold the plants in the trans- 
planted bed imtil twelve inches high. The plants should 
be taken up with a pronged hoe, in order to get all the soil 
possible with the roots. If the ground is not low, a fur- 
row should be opened with four-inch scooter, the ground 
being previously fertilized. Holes four inches deep 
should be punched behind the plow, large enough to admit 
the roots of the plants, the plowman walking outside the 
furrow. A boy comes behind the plow, places the plants 
in bottom of holes, and a hand comes behind and pours 
about one-third of a pint of water on the edge of the hole, 
washing the soil over the roots. If stiff clay soil is 
planted, water should be poured in and the dirt pressed 
back with the heel. This pressing is, however, un- 
necessary in sandy soil. This method of setting is the 
best and cheapest known to the writer, after having tried 
them all. However if the ground is thoroughly wet, and 
plants are well rooted, they may be dropped in the fur- 
row and one inch of soil pulled over the root, and the 
sole of the shoe pressed hard directly on the root. This 
method can be followed only after a good season, and the 
writer never recommends setting tender plants after a 
rain. Early in the spring (owing to the fact that cold 
snaps generally follow rain at that season) your plants 
should be set in warm weather, when the ground is warm, 
and they will take root immediately. 



Tomatoes. 49 

Distance in Setting. 

For general field culture, where vines are not pruned 
they should be set in rows five feet apart and 30 inches in 
the row; if plants are pruned and topped, four and one- 
half foot rows and 18 inch in drill is the proper distance. 

Pruning. 

While this method of growing tomatoes may seem ex 
pensive to the novice, the writer has found it profitable 
where there is an assurance of a good crop. The process 
is as follows: After the plants have begun to grow and 
suckers are one or two inches long, go over once a week, 
rubbing off all suckers, except the one immediately below 
the first fruit stem, to grow until five bunches of fruit 
have been set on both branches. Then top both the 
branch and the main stalk, allowing no more fruit to be 
set. This checking the growth of the plant will cause 
the leaves and the stems to grow abnormally large, and 
throw an unusual amount of nutriment into the fruit, 
causing it to grow rapidly and become very solid and firm. 
After topping the field should be gone over two or three 
times and all sucker growth kept down, and the fruit 
should be examined carefully while small and all cracked 
or deformed fruit pulled off. This with a fair season 
will insure a crop of tomatoes running eighty to ninety 
per cent, fancy, and the stock will be firm and solid, com- 
manding the highest price. I would in all cases recom- 
mend staking in addition to pruning. Three foot stakes 
should be driven in four inches of the plant, and the plant 
tied to the stake with a soft twine. In tying care should 



50 Truck Geowing in the South. 

be used to avoid getting a buncli of fruit between the 
string and the stake. Unless this is done you will have 
deformed fruit. The staking prevents sunburn, keeps 
off cut worms, and allows continual cultivation until ship- 
ments are half done, which is' advisable; but the cultiva- 
tion should be shallow. The actual yield of tomatoes 
when pruned and staked does not exceed the crop other- 
wise grown, but the difference is that when pruned and 
staked the gardener gets practically all his crop, and 
where otherwise grov^n the sun and worms usually get 
half. Besides the pruned and staked crop yields SO to 90 
per cent, fancies, and otherwise only about 50 per cent, 
fancies. 

Packiis^g. 

The fruit should be picked when fully matured, before 
any color is shown, using lined baskets. Of course some 
tomatoes will show color, and some will be nearly full 
ripe. The bins for packing should be lined with old 
sacks. Padding of excelsior or moss is good. Field 
boxes should be provided, • and these also padded. The 
fruit should be picked over once in three days. Carry 
to the packing house in field . boxes. A sorting table 
should be provided, and four half -bush el picking baskets 
placed in front of the sorter. In one put red tomatoes, 
in the second slightly colored stock, jDutting in these two 
grades fancy and choice together. In third basket put 
smooth green tomatoes, not less than two and one-half 
inches in diameter. In the fourth put green smooth toma- 
toes two to two and one-half inches in diameter, and those 
which are slightly scarred. Throw away all bad and leaky 




. 


:. ..-s**--^ 


m 


^ 


ti -k 


^S^Hi 



^ • .-"V-^ 






::!•>> 



52 Truck Growing in the South. 

stock. Now you have four grades. Have four partitions 
in your packing bin — one for each grade, the size of the 
partitions being made to suit the probable quantity of 
each grade. Now you are ready for packing. The six 
basket carrier is used principally in the South and all 
fruit wrapped. In Texas and Mississippi and a few 
other points the four-basket flat carrier is used without 
wrapping. Taking for granted that the six-basket car- 
rier is used, proceed to the packing. The full ripe and 
colored stock can be assorted in two grades as packed. 
As there are only a few of these gTades, they can be 
marked fancy and choice as they are marked up. The 
green stock should be packed very tightly, and the fruit 
should come one-half inch above the top of the basket, 
usually turning both layers on edge — ^unless fruit is large. 
In this case the largest fruit should be placed flat in bot- 
tom of basket. This is the most popular size and makes 
the prettier pack. The writer has found that it is better 
to designate by a particular brand instead of marking them 
fancy and choice. The ripe tomatoes can be used in 
nearby markets by express, and the colored stock marked 
ripe and shipped in ventilated cars with the green stock. 
When the car reaches market the colored stock will be in 
about right condition to use at once, and may be distin- 
guished from the green stock by being branded ripe. 
There is a universal and growing demand for tomatoes, 
and it is not likely that fancy Southern stock will ever 
go begging. 

Diseases. 

There are several kinds of fungous diseases that attack 
the tomatoes and also a bacterial blight which is worst of 



Tomatoes. 53 

all. The former are u&nially caused by unfavorable con- 
ditions and can usually be controlled by remedying those 
conditions, but the bacterial blight when once established 
on a piece of ground is beyond remedy, and the only thing 
to be done is to cease planting tomatoes on that particular 
piece of ground for a number of years. Care should be 
taken never to have a seed bed on or adjoining a field in- 
fected with blight or other disease. 



54 Truck Growing in the South. 



EGGPLANT. 

Ill the whole category of vegetables there is perhaps 
no plant so difficult to grow as the eggplant. Sometimes 
nnder favorable conditions the amateur may think it is 
an easy crop grown, but it is a very peculiar plant, and 
when conditions are unfavorable is very difficult to grow. 
The writer has grown and made a study of this plant for 
twenty years', and has undertaken to grow it on all classes 
of soil. Sometimes he has made a failure, but in rare in- 
stances only. The present year the writer has shipped 
40 carloads of as fine fruit as could be produced. It is 
strictly a warm weather plant, and flourishes when the 
midday temperature reaches 90 and even 100. Cold 
weather and cold ground are dangerous conditions; and 
unless a thorough notice of the plant is had, these con- 
ditions will often prove fatal or nearly so to the seed bed, 
in all latitudes. In extreme southern Florida it is neces- 
sary to grow the plants in a hot bed in order to have large 
well rooted plants for early setting. By all means these 
plants should be transplanted, and kept in a protected bed 
until twelve inches high. This gives them a large root 
system, and the plant will grow off well under conditions 
that would prove fatal to the non-transplanted plants. 
In latitudes as far north as Middle Georgia, a good hot 
bed should be used for sowing the seed. Use six inches of 
stable manure and three or four inches of sandy soil on 
top. Doanestic treated with linseed oil may be used for 
covermg, but if planted further north sash would be 



EcraPLANT. 55 

safer, as it requires a high temperature to sprout the 
seeds. A warm spell should be selected for sowing, and 
the seed will germinate in three or four days 
if not too cold. After the plants are up, where cov- 
ers are used, the bed should be uncovered about four 
hours each day and allowed to have sunshine during warm 
weather. However the teiuperature should not be al- 
lowed to go above 80 or 90. During cold weather it is 
better to keep the bed covered tightly. This retains the 
heat of both stable manure and sun. JSTever allow the bed 
to be uncovered at night ; keep the ground well stirred and 
never water until the gTound is dry enough to wilt the 
plants. A dry atmosphere and soil is conducive to 
healthy growth. Keep up the slow, steady growth, but 
do not stimulate to a rapid growth. Disease is the great 
enemy to be contended with, and if this can be kept off, 
and your plants kept healthy until set in the field, more 
than half of the battle is won. In transplanting, the 
plants should be set in rows as previously advised, and the 
dirt pulled up around the plants halfway the stalk; and 
the soil between rows kept well loosened and stirred, so as 
to allow sun and air to roots. This is very important and 
good plants can be grown by no other method. If cut- 
worms appear, which is quite jorobable, scatter poisoned 
bran broadcast over the bed. 

Soil. 

In all cases a sandy loam is to be recommended for this 
crop. Lowlands and heavy clay soil should never be used. 
Light hammocks are the soils adopted to this crop. 'No 
plant that I know of will stand dry weather as well as 



56 Teuok Geo wing in the South. 

the eggplant. If land is plentiful and no irrigation is 
used, plant 6x3. Lay off rows six feet apart, check three 
feet; open the six-feet rows with eight-inch shovel, and 
scatter in the furrow one thousand pounds per acre of the 
formula previously given. Cover with double shovel. 
Do this two weeks before setting. When ready to set, run 
in this fertilizer with a bull tongue, and throw up a ridge 
with double shovel. If ground is sufficiently moist, 
punch a hole at each three feet check, and put in the 
plant half the length of the stalk, pouring in a half pint 
of water to each plant, and washing the dirt around the 
roots, nearly filling the hole. If ground is' too dry to 
punch the hole, make a small hole with pointed hoe and 
pour in half pint of water, and set the plant with fingers 
before the water has soaked in. No packing is necessary, 
as the water settles the dirt around the roots sufficiently. 

Fkost Protection. 

In all latitudes early setting and protection against 
frost is advisable for this crop, as it is a continuous bearer, 
and two weeks added to the shipping season will nearly 
always double the value of the crop. The writer has 
used various kinds of covers and would prefer the tomato 
basket used with the six-basket tomato carrier. This cov- 
ering has saved plants at a temperature of 24, and can be 
allowed to remain for seven days, and the baskets can be 
used for shipping tomatoes or peppers later in the season. 
During the past season large size butter trays', which were 
tight, were used alongside the tomato basket, and the 
plants covered by the trays suffered far worse than those 
covered by tomato baskets. 



Eggplant. 5Y 

Vaeieties. 

Only two varieties of eggplant are to be recommended. 
The writer uses' Burpee's Black Beauty altogether, but in 
some other sections the Florida High Bush is used, many 
preferring this variety to the Black Beauty, and claiming 
it to be a better shipper. In order to grow eggplant suc- 
cessfully the first thing to do is to provide yourself with 
healthy, well rooted, large, plants; second, have suitable 
soil, well fertilized, before setting; third, careful setting, 
using plenty of water in dry weather. If your plants un- 
der such circumstances start off well and show purple 
bud, you may feel assured of a good crop barring killing 
frost. If your plants stand for several weeks and shows 
no growth dig it up and plant something else, for this is 
a peculiar crop and never recovers from a severe backset, 
unless it has taken good roots and has shown a vigorous' 
growth prior to the back set. In this case they generally 
recover and make good crops. 

DiSEiASES. 

On soil adapted to the crop eggplant rarely show dis- 
ease of any kind, but for this crop as well as others the 
preventive is described. 

Insects. 

Aside from cutworms there are few insects affecting 
this. Occasionally caterpillars attack the leaves', and cut- 
worms eat the fruit. The remedies for these have already 
been given. During dry weather the aphis frequently at- 



58 Truck Growing in the South. 

tacks this crop. Rosin sprays are to be recommended for 
this insect. Apply thoroughly on the under side of the 
leaves with a vermoreal nozzle and elbow. Anyone can 
get the formulas for all kinds of insect sprays by writing 
the Department of Agriculture, Washington, D. C. 

Picking and Packing. 

In gathering and packing the crop, lined baskets' and 
boxes should be used, as recommended for tomatoes. A 
bin also lined and padded, consisting of a table fourteen 
feet long, three feet high, three feet wide, should be pro- 
vided. The fruit is clipped one-half inch from the stem 
junction with the fruit. Bushel baskets with bails are 
used. The fruit is cut when it is large enough to pacl^ 
30 to the crate. D'o not cut smaller, unless it is getting 
too old, which is evidenced by a wine color in the Black 
Beauty. On young, vigorous vines a 30-size is not full 
grovra. by any means, but this is the best size, and they 
should be taken off when that size is' reached. As the 
vines grow older and more heavily fruited, they will of 
course have to be cut smaller. The fruit should never 
be cut while wet with dew or rain. The packing bin 
should be divided by three partitions and the brusher 
should set his field box just opposite the middle partition. 
A frame made to hold an empty crate is made at each 
end of the bin, and the top of the crate should come about 
six inches above the top of the bin. The half-barrel crate 
should be used 12 inches by 14 inches by 22 inches. The 
brusher then provides himself with a large feather dust- 
ing brush, and brushes the sand from the plant as he as- 
sorts them. All nice smooth plants running 36 and 



Eggplant. 59 

larger are placed in the division at each end of bin, and 
smaller sizes and defective plants in the middle division. 
This grade can be packed separately and shipped out as 
culls, or thrown away late in the season when it does not 
pay to ship such fruit. 

The fancy stock is sized as packed, and the number of 
plants marked on each box. These will run in size from 
18 to 36. Some markets prefer the 36 size, but usually 
30 is the best size. ITew 0*rleans prefers 36 to any other 
size, and Pittsburg takes the larger sizes. In wrapping, 
white paper 15 by 20 is to be recommended. It must be 
borne in mind by those that grow eggplant for market, 
that while there is a growing demand for this vegetable, 
the demand is still very limited, and there are only a few 
markets in the ITnited States that will take a car of egg- 
plant. Two cars per week will supply Chicago, while 
they will easily take fifty cars of tomatoes or 100 cars of 
potatoes. 



60 Truck Gkowing in the South. 



SWEET PEPPERS. 

This is a crop that is now grown for market to a consid- 
erable extent, and generally pays, but like eggplant there 
is a very limited demand for it. It is not near so diffi- 
cult to grow however as eggplant, and can be grown on 
most soils that are not too low. The general rule laid 
down for growing plants of the eggplant, will apply to 
peppers, except transplanting is; not necessary, as where 
growth is not too rapid, this plant makes a large root with- 
out transplanting. They require a high temperature to 
germinate, and are nearly as sensitive to cold as eggplant. 

Varieties. 

The Ruby King is the only variety to be recommended. 
Other varieties supposed to be improvements have been 
put out, but all found wanting. Stick to the Ruby King 
until you have found something better. 

Planting. 

This crop, without irrigation, should be set five and one- 
half by two feet, with irrigation four by one and a half. 
(As they bear heavily while the plants are quite small 
they should be planted closer than eggplant.) Irrigation 
proves very profitable for this crop. The same rule for 
fertilizing and setting recommended for eggplant will ap- 



Sweet Peppers. 61 

ply to pepper, except no checking is' to be advised. If 
tlie seed bed is kept bealtbj, the crop is easily grown, and 
yields' four to six hundred crates per acre. Like eggplant 
it is a continuous bearer, and shipments may continue 
until the market is over. The fruit is packed in six bas- 
ket tomato carrier, while the price is one fifty per crate 
and upward. When the price falls below $1.50 for six- 
basket carriers, the half-barrel eggplant crate is recom- 
mended. 



62 Truck Growing in the South. 



CABBAGE. 

This is a crop that often proves a money-maker for the 
South, but frequently proves unprofitable. The most im- 
portant information that can be had on this crop is when 
to grow and when not to grow cabbage. This information 
is particularly valuable to the extreme Southern truckers, 
whose crops are due on the market in January, February 
and March. The quantity and quality of the Northern 
storage crop is almost always responsible for the price of 
cabbage during the months named, and they often affect 
the prices far into April, in seasons when they keep well. 
To the growers located in the lower Gulf States whose 
crops are to be marketed in the months above named, I 
would say: If the !N"orthern storage crop is normal, 
let cabbage alone, or plant very lightly so as not to com'^ 
in before March 10th. If there is a market shortage in 
the storage crop, and F. 0. B. prices are sixteen dollars 
per ton and upward about November 1st, plant heavy in 
cabbage to come in in February and March. Sometimes 
however, it will pay to plant a crop to come in the last 
of March and early in April, even when there is a normal 
crop of storage goods, but this condition exists only when 
there have been killing frost in the lower South and the 
new crop cut short. However it is' impossible to foresee 
this condition, and those who plant in protected localities 
will have to take chances on the weather. It is a mis- 
taken idea that cabbage are immune to frost in the lower 
South. The writer has seen crops of cabbage practically 




The Jersey Wakefield — the Favorite Eahlt. 




Eaely Summeb — Best Medium Cabbage. 



64 Tetjck Growing in the South. 

ruined by cold in the latitude of Tampa, Florida. Of 
course this occurs only once in a while. Under normal 
conditions, cabbage will stand a low temperature, but if 
growing rapidly, as they frequently do in the lower South 
during widwinter, this temperature often damages them 
seriously. While if in dormant conditions, they will sur- 
vive the temperature of 22 degrees without injuries. It 
is rarely ever necessary in the lower South to protect 
seed beds aganst frost and the plants are always' better 
when grown in beds without artificial heat. In fact a slow, 
steady growth of the seed bed is recommended and as the 
plants can be grown in the field, they should be sown 
thinly,- and fertilized lightly. In high latitudes pro- 
tected beds are recommended. 

Damp-Off. 

Frequeiitly seed beds are effected with damp-off, es- 
pecially during wet weather. A good stirring of the soil 
followed by an application of Bordeaux will arrest this 
disease. 

Varieties. 

For an all-round, medium, early variety. Early Sum- 
mer has proven the best for most sections, Charleston 
Wakefield is the popular sharp-head variety, but is not so 
hardy as' some others. Early Flat Dutch, and Succes- 
sion, are good flat varieties. 'New varieties are constantly 
being put out, and it would be advisible for those who 
contemplate growing cabbage for market to make compar- 
ative test each year of the new variety being put on the 
market. 



Cabbage. 65 

Distance. 

For irrigated fields 30 by 15 inches is tlie distance. If 
no irrigation is used 40 by 50 is a good distance. Crowd- 
ing . produces medium size heads, running about forty to 
the crate, which is a very desirable size. Heads running 
very large are not so saleable, and command a lower 
price. If ground is low, plants should be set on a slight 
ridge; if high in a small furrow. This is a crop which 
requires' abundance of moisture and plenty of fertilizer, 
and one on which irrigation pays well. This crop re- 
quires from 1,500 to 2,0'00' pounds of good commercial 
fertilizer, and an additional 200 pounds of nitrate of soda 
applied broadcast when the plants begin to head. A 
heavy soil containing abundance of humus is to be rec- 
ommended for cabbage. Frequent stirring of the soil is 
particularly beneficial to this crop. 

BUBST'ING. 

Some varieties', especially the Wakefields, burst very 
quickly after the heads are matured. This can be ob- 
viated by going over and pushing over all fully matured 
heads with the foot. These should be pushed to the north., 
in order to protect them from the sun. Another way, if 
the patch is uniformly headed, is to go through with a 
bull-tongue and plow deeply on one side of each row, cut- 
ting off part of the roots and checking the growth. When 
ready to cut, the heads, together with several loose leaves, 
are cut with a sharp butcher knife. If rows are wide 
enough and not too stumpy, the best way to gather the 



66 Truck Geowing in the South. 

crop is to make a box about two by eight feet and 20 
inches deep, attach it to two runners and hitch a horse 
to it, and as the cabbage are taken up, they may be put in 
the box and pulled out and running between every other 
row. These are hauled into convenient piles and there 
packed into crates holding about 100 pounds. 




Charleston Wakefield and Succession Cabbage. 



CUCUMBEES. 67 



CUCUMBERS. 

This is a crop now grown very largely in the South, 
for the ISTorthern markets. It is a crop that contains over 
90 per cent, water, and is most successfully grown with 
irrigation. In the absence of irrigation, a low dark soil 
should be selected, rich in vegetable matter, and well 
drained. Muck lands are admirably adopted to cucum- 
bers. This plant is more sensitive to frost perhaps than 
any other vegetable, and a few cold nights where there is 
only slight frost often ruins the crop. And if there is 
cold weather enough to take the green color out of the 
leaves, it will pay to plant over. For this reason it pays 
to protect this crop aganst frost by using covers on cold 
nights. If frost protection is used, a good distance is 
6 by 3 feet, leaving two stalks to each hill. If low land 
be used, which is to be recommended in all cases where 
not irrigated, land should be thrown up in six-foot beds 
with turning plow, the top of the beds fertlized, and the 
seed planted three feet apart. Select a warm spell, when 
the ground has begun to get warm, and make a slight im- 
pression with the toe of the shoe. Drop in five or six 
seed, and cover just enough to hide the seed. Then press 
firmly with the toe of the shoe. Presuming that you have 
sufiicient moisture, and the ground is warm, your cukes 
will be up in four days. If ground is not sufficently 
warm to germinate the seed at once they will rot, and 
must be planted over. They are rapid growers after the 
weather gets warm. Just before the vines meet in the 




English Telegraph Cucumbers Growing on Frame. 



CUCUMBEES. ■ 69 

rows, or when about a foot long, an application of 200 
pounds per acre of nitrate of soda should be used. 
Where this crop is irrigated early plantings are frequently 
made, the seed being sown in drills five or six feet apart 
and protected from frost by two ten-inch planks nailed to- 
gether and turned over the plants durng cold nights. If 
however cold weather should be encountered, the crop will 
never amount to much, as they never recover from a se- 
vere set back. Large sums of money, however, have been 
made on these early protected plantings, but the expense 
is rarely ever justified, except where irrigation is used, 
and a maxium crop is made. 

Varieties. 

Livingston Extra Early White Spine and Early Fort- 
une, are the two varieties to be recommended, as these 
hold their dark green color, and are early heavy bearers. 
When the fruit is six to eight inches' long, they should be 
picked and packed in bushel hampers, discarding all that 
are deformed and too old. They are heavy bearers, and 
in some cases 1,000 bushels or over have been grown on 
an acre. 



Squashes. 71 



SQUASHES. 

Of all the vegetable crops this perhaps is the easiest 
grown, and the freest from disease or insect. The early 
varieties are ready for the table in 60 to TO days from 
planting. While there is considerable demand for early 
squash, one or two messes seem to satisfy most people, and 
when they get plentiful on the market, they are hard to 
move at any price, so I would advise all truckers to go 
slow on squash, and never plant more than a few acres. 

Distance, 

For the small bush varieties five by three feet is a good 
distance, and a level culture should be followed. 

Varieties. 

Of all the white varieties Woods' Early Prolific is the 
earliest, best bearer, and best seller. The yellow crook- 
neck sells well in some markets. The white bush variety 
should be gathered just as the gloss disappears from the 
young squash, regardless of size. They should be care- 
fully handled, wrapped and packed in half-barrel crates. 
If the price is high, perhaps bushel hampers would .be 
preferable. Every farmer should raise a few Boston 
Narrows for pies and baking. Two dozen hills will sup- 
ply an ordinary family, and may be kept for months. 
These are great runners and should be planted 8 by 8. 
I can hardly recommend these for shipping. 



Beans. T3 



BEAI^S. 



This is a vegetable that is grown in the South exten- 
sively for the ]S[orthern and Southern markets, and usu- 
ally proves profitable. There is a great demand for this 
vegetable, both in the ISTorth and South, and when scarce, 
and of good quality, it often commands extreme prices, 
sometimes selling as high as seven dollars per bushel, and 
often as high as five. These prices however may only be 
expected when it is very scarce. The quality of the stock 
has as much to do with the price as scarcity on the market 
and for this reason the object should be to produce nice 
tender beans'. To do this sufficiency of moisture should 
always be present, and the plant should never be stunted 
in its growth. Where irrigation is not used, a rich damp 
soil should be selected. Low hammock land, full of 
humus is excellent for beans, and they require very little 
fertilizer on this kind of soil. The plant is very tender, 
and a temperature of 32 generally proves fatal. They 
will stand considerably more cold when a week or two 
old, than they will later. It being a quick crop (generally 
60 to 70 days from planting to picking) it can be planted 
profitably between other crops requiring a longer time to 
mature, and can be picked over several times and pulled 
out of the way of the following crop. The writer has fol- 
lowed this plan for years and has found it profitable. 

Varieties. 
The bush varieties are practically the only ones planted 



74 Tkuok Growing in the South. 

for shipping. These are usually ready to ship in 60 to 70 
days after planting. The wax podded, and green, are 
both planted but the wax are unsalable in the South. 
Some Northern markets prefer them, Chicago and Boston 
particularly. Where they are in demand they usually 
sell for about as much as the green beans. The wax per- 
haps produce thirty per cent, more per acre than the 
green, and costs less for picking, as the pods are longer. 
Of the green podded varieties Eed Valentine, Black Val- 
entine, Extra Early Eefuge, are the best varieties. Of 
the wax podded varieties. Curries' Rust Proof wax, Davis 
and Wardells are the leading varieties. The former be- 
ing preferred in many localities on account of its immun- 
ity from rust or speck. All of the wax podded varieties 
are more subject to diseases than the green. If the price 
is high, it will pay the grower, after the beans have been 
picked to have them spread out in a cool place and as- 
sorted before packing, throwing out all that are too old, or 
too young, or ill shaped, or broken. Then fill the hamper, 
packing down well several times with the hands. Then 
heap them up before fastening on the top. If the weather 
is cool and no danger of heating, it would be found profit- 
able to lay the outer beans straight at right angles with 
the cracks, as they show off well and bring a better price. 
The bushel hamper is the package generally used for 
beans. Where the ground is given up entirely to this 
crop they should be sown in drills three feet apart without 
water and two and one-half with water ; three pecks to one 
acre is required for seeding. Two or three plowings will 
suffice, but care should be taken not to plow while the 
plants are wet with dew or rain. The same precaution 



Beans. Y5 

should be used in picking, as touching or handling the 
vines when wet will cause rust. 

Pole Varieties. 

Kentucky wonder and Homestead are the best pole va- 
rieties, and these must be staked. These varieties are, 
however, only grown for home use, being considerably 
later and more expensive than the bush varieties. They 
will be found profitable for home gardens, and sometimes 
for a local market, as the continue in bearing longer than 
the bush varieties. 



76 Truck Growing in the South. 



RADISHES. 

This vegetable is grown to some extent in the South, b^'it 
not generally, owing to the fact that it is a crop which is 
produced in a very short time and under low temperature, 
so is grown extensively in the ISTorth in hot houses. As a 
crop for shipment it can hardly be recommended to the 
market gardener, still it is grown in some localities for 
shipment. A rich, sandy loam is preferred for it, and 
the seed should be planted in drills six to eight inches 
apart. This crop matures in three to four weeks after 
seed are planted. The soil should be well supplied with 
moisture and fertilizer in order to produce crisp roots. 

Varieties. 

The following varieties are recommended : Long Scar- 
let, French Breakfast, Short Top and Chartier. For a 
local market this vegetable may be grown on a limited 
scale with profit, but could not be recommended for ISTorth- 
ern shipment. 

CAEROTS. 

This is a vegetable that is easily grown and flourishes 
at a low temperature. It will survive 24 degrees, and is 
immune to root knot, and is easily grown, but there is a 
limited demand for it and it can hardly be recommended 
for a shipping crop. The seed should be sown thinly in 
rows 16 inches apart and cultivated about the same as rad- 
ishes or beets. A rich soil and plenty moisture is essen- 
tial to a good quality. 



78 Truck Gkowing in the South. 



BEETS. 

This crop is grown largely in the South for shipment 
and usually shows good profit. It is easily grown and 
hardy, surviving a temperature of 25, and is marketable 
in 90 days from planting. 

Soil. 

Low land is unsuitable for beets, but abundant moisture 
and quick growth are required to produce tender roots. 
Irrigation is strongly advised for this' crop, and several 
applications of nitrate of soda in addition to 1,500 pounrls 
of complete fertilzer per acre. The soda should be sown 
broadcast over the field after the dew has dried off. It 
does not require a cultivation afterwards. Two applica- 
tions of 150 pounds per acre should be made; one when 
the beets are six inches high, and the other when they be- 
gin to form roots. This crop is much effected by root 
knot and should not be planted on land infected with this 
insect. Prepare the land thoroughly by deep breaking 
with shovel and harrow, getting out all trash possible with 
harrow and horse rake. Lay off rows 18 to 20 inches and 
plant with horse drill, aiming to get about one plant to 
each inch. If not planted too thickly, no thinning or 
hoeing will be necessary. Care should be taken that the 
ground is sufficiently moist, or the seed will not germinate. 
If there is any doubt about the ground being moist 
enough to germinate the dry seed, they should be soaked 
for 24 hours before planting. Make the water as hot as 



Beets. Y9 

can be borne bj the band and pour in the seed, using 
enough water to cover the seed. Then cover the vessel 
with an old sack and let seed stand for 24 hours. Before 
planting, pour off water, use enough dry sand to make 
them easily bandied. Firming the soil is very important 
in securing a good stand of beets. All well regulated 
planters are supposed to have a wheel for packing the soil 
after the dropping of the seed. The fertilizer should be 
applied broadcast and harrowed in before planting. As 
soon as the beets are a few inches high, they should be cul- 
tivated with a wheel hoe using the cultivator. Subse- 
quent cultivations' should be made with the sweep attached 
to wheel hoe. 

Varieties. 

Eclipse, Early Blood turnip, and Egyptian, are good 
varieties. Personally I prefer the first. 

Packing. 

When the roots are two to three inches in diameter, they 
should be pulled out, removing the outer leaves. Then 
tie in bunches containing five beets each, and pack in bar- 
rels or barrel crate, marking the number of bunches to 
each crate. They usually sell from four to six cents per 
bunch in the ISTorthem market. If shipments are made 
to the Southern markets half of the tops should be cut off 
and the beets allowed to grow about four inches in diam- 
eter. The ISTorthern markets use the tops as a salad, but 
few Southern markets care for more than the roots. Cut 
worms' are very fond of this crop, and it is generally nec- 
essary after the crop has been removed to poison the worms 
before another crop is planted. 




Eaely Scaelet TtTRNip Beets. 



Owioiirs. 81 



ONIONS. 



This crop is an exception in tliat it does not require ro- 
tation as most crops do. Onions may be successfully 
grown on the same land for a number of years and the soil 
never seems to become tired. It is a hardy vegetable and 
will survive a temperature of 24 degrees, consequently 
may be classed as a winter crop in the lower South. This 
crop thrives the best on the damp sandy loam, rich in 
humus, but with irrigation it may be grown successfully 
on the highest land. This is a somewhat expensive crop 
to grow, and it should be planted only on soil that is rich, 
and the ground should be thoroughly prepared and all 
trash gotten out before the seed are planted. It is a good 
plan to prepare the ground several weeks ahead of plant- 
ing or setting, in order to allow all seeds of grass or weeds 
to come up. The ground should be gone over with a har- 
row just in advance of planting, in order to destroy this 
young crop of weeds or grass. 

Vabieities. 

The Bermuda is the onion best adapted to the Gulf 
States', and being of a mild flavor is preferred to other 
varieties. Of this variety there are the white and bright 
red, but the white is preferable. The Creole is another 
variety which does well in the Gulf States, and is grown 
to a considerable extent. Further north Red Weather- 
field and Yellow Dianvers are recommended. Where 
the thermometer dos not go below 24, the seed beds may 



82 Teuck Geowing in the South. 

be grown in the open. Select a piece of land that has no 
seeds of weeds or grass. Prepare well by raking ont all 
grass and fertilize broadcast. Sow the seed thinly, with 
drill in rows eight inches apart. The seed should be 
one-half inch deep, should be packed, and kept watered 
until they germinate. The seed beds should be cultivated 
until plants are as large as a lead pencil. Sow broadcast, 
over the ground to be planted, 1,500 pounds of good fer- 
tilizer, and harrow in. Then make a marker with teeth 
eighteen inches apart, and mark off the rows. Several 
rows can be marked off at once. Draw the plants from 
the seed beds and lay them in piles with roots even. Take 
a sharp knife and cut off roots one-half inch in length and 
cut away about one-half of the tops. The plants are now 
ready for setting. If no irrigation is used, set for two 
days after a good rain, but if irrigation is used, the plants 
can be set and watered afterward. The transplanter 
should provide himself with a round stick six inches long 
and five-eights inches in diameter, slightly rounded at one 
end. Take a small bunch of plants in the left hand and 
punch holes four inches apart. Insert your plant with 
the left hand and press the dirt firmly to it with the peg. 
With a little practice one can get along rapidly with this 
method. With sufficient moisture the plants will live 
easily, and replanting will seldom have to be resorted to. 
After a stand has been secured the ground should be cul- 
tivated shallow with a wheel hoe and all vegetation kept 
down. One hoeing may be necessary and a small onion 
hoe made for the purpose should be used. Cultivation 
should continue until the top falls over, which indicates 
that the bulb has matured. Then the crop may be gath 



84 Truck Growing iisr the South. 

ered and marketed. However it will be found profitable 
to market a portion of the crop when the bulb is about 
half growa. Cut away the roots and about half the tops 
and packing in half-barrel crates. It is better to bunch 
them in this style using about five to the bunch. If the 
local demand is good, the ripe onions can be kept for sev- 
eral months by burying them in sand or putting away in 
hay as recommended for saving seed potatoes. This crop 
should turn out 400 to 800 bushels per acre, and usually 
is profitable. 



Cantaloupes. 85 



CANTALOUPES. 



This has now become one of the most extensively grown 
of the garden crops, and the demand for good stock is al- 
most unlimited. This crop is now grown extensively in 
the South, but it never brings such prices as the product 
of the arid regions of the Southwest. A dry climate and 
atmosphere is essential to the production of a first-class 
cantaloupe. Excessive moisture at, or near the time of 
maturing, destroys the flavor, and makes the melon in- 
sipid. Still this crop usually pays well in the lower 
South, as there is very little competition with the early 
Southern product. 



Soil. 



An ordinary fertile soil will produce good cantaloupes, 
but the ground should be high land. This crop should 
never be grown where the root knot is present. The 
Eocky Ford is the variety now planted almost exclusively 
for the market. It is not necessary to prepare the ground 
so thoroughly for this crop. Break deep and harrow off, 
and lay off rows six feet apart, check six feet. Scatter a 
half-pound of fertilizer at each check, and mix well with 
fork before planting. Plant four or five seeds in each 
check, as soon as danger of frost is over and ground is 
warm. When the plants are up, thin to two in a hill 
Make a second application of fertilizer, broadcast, as soon 
as the vines are a foot long. It will be found profitable 



86 Truck Growing in the South. 

to use covers to protect this crop in case of cold nights or 
light frost. 

Shipping. 

When the crop is ready to ship, they should be picked 
when fully matured and packed in standard crates', forty- 
five to the crate, as this is the size that brings the best 
price. Other sizes should be shipped as culls, by express, 
to near markets. This crop must be loaded in refrigera- 
tor cars as it will not carry in ventilators. 



Cauliflower. 87 



CAULIFLOWEK. 

This crop is grown to a considerable extent in tlie South, 
and usually pays'. Where the temperature does not go 
below twenty-five it may be planted in October for Febru- 
ary shipment, and the plants may be grown without pro- 
tection. In colder localities the plants must be protected 
against cold, and planted later. The great drawback to 
the crop is the price of the seed. The method of cultiva- 
tion is quite similar to that of cabbage. 

Soil. 

A very rich soil is required for this crop, and abun- 
dance of moisture must be had. Irrigation is especially 
recommended. The cost of the seed necessarily makes the 
crop an expensive one. The seed bed should be thoroughly 
prepared, and sown thinly in drills eight to ten inches 
apart. If sown thinly, transplanting will be found un- 
necessary. The process' of fertilizing and setting in the 
field advised for cabbage will apply to this crop. The f»ul- 
tivation is also the same as for cabbage. 

Vaeieties. 

The following varieties are recommended for Southern 
planting : 

When the heads begin to appear, the outer head leaves 
should be drawn over the heads and tied with strings, or 
pinned with wooden tooth picks, to protect them from sun 
and rain. This process is necessary to produce a beautiful 



88 Tbtjck Growing in the South. 

white head. When the heads are fully grown, they should 
be cut when thoroughly dry, retaining a few of the outer 
head leaves. Then take these to the packing house and 
assort them carefully, and wrap in vegetable paper. The 
half-barrel crate will be found a good package for this 
vegetable. 




Large Snowball Cauliflowee. 



Okra. 89 



OKEA. 



This plant is especially adapted to the South and pro- 
duces all summer, if kept in a good growing condition. 
The demand both JsTorth and South is quite limited, but 
it usually commands a good price. !Rew York and Phila- 
delphia are the best markets. It is a very easy crop to 
grow and has few insect enemies, but it is very tender and 
will not succeed after the ground gets cold and the nights 
chilly. It is strictly a warm weather plant and for this 
reason should not planted until the ground is warm. 

Soil. 

For early crop a sandy loam is preferred, and while it 
does not thrive on low land an abundance of moisture is 
required in order to produce tender pods. Plant in rows 
four to five feet apart and thin two feet in drills, leaving 
two stalks to a hill. The cultivation is the same as for 
cotton or com. 

VaBIEiTIBS. 

For IsTorthem shipment a short thick green pod is 
wanted three to four inches long. The stem should be cut 
about one inch to prevent wilting. French Market is 
decidedly the best variety for shipping. Perkins long 
pod is also good. The six basket tomato carrier is the 
package to be preferred in shipping this vegetable. As 
this plant bears all summer a portion of the patch may be 
reserved for home market and the product sold all sum- 
mer. 



90 Truck Growing in the South. 



TURNIPS. 

This crop is not grown much for shipment, but it is a 
valuable one for the local market. It is easily grown and 
very hardy; produces heavily and is a money-maker f:>r 
the local market. Like beets, if tender roots are wanted, 
quick growth must be had, and the crop must not be al- 
lowed to be checked in its growth. Irrigation is essen- 
tial to the production of first-class turnips. 

Varieties. 

The Purple Top Globe is the best all-round turnip. It 
is large, handsome, and very tender. Prepare land thor- 
oughly as for beets, and sow thinly in rows 20 inches apart 
and. leave about one plant to two inches at first pulling. 
Take out every other plant, so as to give the one left more 
room to grow. Sometime when the Korthem cabbage crop 
is short it will pay to ship this crop to Southern markets 
in January and February. It is very hardy and may bo 
grown in the lower South any time during the winter. 



EUTA BAGA. 



This plant differs very little from the turnip, except 
that it requires a little longer time in growth and is sweeter 
and keeps better. The same planting and cultivation 
given to turnips will apply to this vegetable. 



' Pumpkins. 91 

PUMPKIi^S. 

While this crop is not grown for shipment, it will bp 
found profltahle to grow a few for home use and local 
markets. It is easily produced, and may he grown on 
almost any except wet land. Plant 9 hy 9 any time after 
danger of frost is over and cultivate same as for watermel- 
ons. This product may he kept for a long time hy stor- 
ing in a cool place. 



SALSIFY. 



This crop is grown to some extent for shipping. It is' 
called oyster plant and resemhles the oyster somewhat in 
flavor. It is hardy and survives a temperature of 22 and 
in the lower South may he planted any time after October 
the first. Prepare land thoroughly as for beets, and sow 
in rows 18 inches apart and thin to four inches. It re- 
quires a rich soil and plenty of moisture to produce tender 
roots. The culture is the same as for beets. When ready 
for shipment the roots should be tied in bunches about 8 
to the hunch. 



PAESLEY. 



" This plant is not grown for shipment, but is used almost 
exclusively for garnishing. It is easily grown as it with- 
stands very cold weather. It may be relied on for winter 
use when other garnishing plants may have been destroyed 
hy cold. Sow in rich soil and provide abundant moisture, 
thinning plants 2 by 1. In the lower South sowings may 
be made October 1. For garnishing Moss Curled is a 
good variety. 



92 Tkuck Geowing in the South. 



LETTUCE. 

This vegetable is now grown extensively for !N^ortliern 
markets, some points in Florida growing several hun- 
dred carloads' annually. The Florida crop is marketed 
principally in the winter months, and the States farther 
north have it to come in as the Florida crop is over. The 
heading varieties are grown principally, although some 
leaf lettuce is grown. Big Boston, a very large, compactly 
heading variety is the favorite. California Cream Butter 
is also planted to some extent, and is very popular in SDme 
sections. Both are good, hut owing to the fine size. Big 
Boston is generally preferred. 

This vegetable will survive a temperature of twenty 
degrees, under normal conditions, if plants are not headed, 
but after the heads are formed a temperature of twenty- 
five degrees will practically ruin it. 

Soil. 

If irrigation is not used, a damp soil must be had. A 
dark loam well drained, is especially adapted to lettuce 
growing. The crop is cut in about ninety days from time 
of planting. It is easily grown but requires' high fertil- 
ization, if the best results are to be obtained. 

Seed Bed. 

Select a piece of ground convenient to water, harrow 
and rake off clean. Sow seed broadcast, thickly enough 



94 Teuck Growing in the South. 

to get one plant to the square inch, or a trifle thicker will 
do. Brush the ground over lightly with a board, and run 
a roller over to make the soil firm. Water once daily for 
four days. After the seed have germinated, they may be 
watered once every three days, and less frequently as the 
plants grow older. 

Setting. 

The plants live easily and may be set as other plants are 
but the roots should not go lower than two inches from the 
surface. Eighteen inches is a good distance to set them. 

Cultivation. 

Several plowings with hand plow will suffice to make 
the crop. 

Packing. 

After the heads are fully formed, cut the plants near 
the gTound, leaving all decayed or yellow leaves attached 
to the root. Pull off any that may by chance be left Avith 
the head, then pull the outer leaves over the head and pack 
first layer with the butts down and the next layer with 
the butts up. Continue to pack in this manner, bringing 
the heads together. Finish up with the butts against the 
top of the hamper. Half barrel hampers should be used 
for this vegetable. It should be gathered while dry and 
shipped by express, or in refrigerator cars. If the weather 
is' warm, refrigeration only should be used. Four or five 
hundred hampers of lettuce are frequently gathered from 
one acre but the price is very fluctuating, varying with the 
supply. 



96 Truck Growing in the South. 



CELERY. 

The writer can remember not many years ago when 
celery was used to a very limited extent — principally as a 
seasoning for soups. Our largest cities would take only a 
car or two per week then ; now New York alone will take 
one hundred cars weekly. This illustrates to what a re- 
markable extent a taste may be acquired for some vegeta- 
bles. There is a single station in Florida that now ships 
annually over five hundred cars of celery and this year's 
output of the southern part of the State will be approxi- 
mately two thousand cars'. The writer remembers when, 
less than fifteen years ago, it was not known that celery 
could be grown in Florida. Mr. J^eylans, of Tampa, was 
the first grower to make a success of it. Since his experi- 
ment, it has been demonstrated that it can be grown on 
almost any class of soil, provided that abundance of water 
is supplied. It is useless to undertake to grow this crop 
without irrigation. As before stated it can be grown on 
almost any kind of soil, but prefers a dark, heavy soil, 
moist but well drained. Abundance of moisture is indis- 
pensible for this crop. Low lands with tile twenty-one 
feet apart and sub-irrigation is the system usually em- 
ployed. However surface irrigation is being employed 
with much success. On low land the tile acts as drain- 
age in wet weather and supplies the water when needed, 
by allowing it to perculate the soil. Artesian wells are be- 
ing used generally to supply the water. 



Cei^eky. 97 

Vakieties. 

Golden Self Bleaching is practically the only variety 
planted in the South. 

Seed Beds. 

The seeds of celery are very small and the plants are 
very delicate until some size has been attained, so great 



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GrEOwiNG Young Celeby Plants. 

care should be used in growing the plants'. They are 
very slow to germinate and must be planted on the surface 
with no covering in order to get the seed to germinate. 
To prepare the seed bed, rake odff all trash, mark off rows 
four inches aj)art, but not over one-fourth of an inch deep. 
Sow the seed in these rows and cover the bed with gunny 
sacks, laying them down on the ground. Water the beds 



Celery. 99 

twice a day until the seeds have germinated, which will 
require ten days, or more. As soon as the seed germinate 
remove the sacks and cover the beds with laths, so as to 
make a half shade. The plants are slow growers, and con- 
siderable time is required for them to get large enough to 
transplant. As soon as they are about three inches high, 
they should be pricked out and transplanted in beds about 
three by four inches, and if the weather is warm they 
should be shaded for several days after transplanting. 
Care should be used in transplanting to the bed and field to 
see that the roots are not set more than one inch deep, as 
they are surface feeders and will not do well if set too deep. 
Two weeks after the plants are transplanted, they are 
ready for the field. 

Pebpaeation oe Geound. 

Before setting a field in celery, about ten to fifteen two- 
horse loads of stable manure per acre should be scattered 
broadcast over the ground and turned under shallow with 
a turning plow. Take a bull tongue and break the ground 
to a depth of eight inches and harrow down well. Lay off 
straight rows, with a scooter, thirty inches apart and sow 
two thousand pounds per acre of good vegetable fertilizer, 
and. cover with two furrows. This should be done ten 
days before setting. Just before setting, stir the fertilizer 
well with a fine tooth harrow. When ready to set, 
stretch a garden line over the furrow containing the fer- 
tilizer, and take a roller eight inches long and about six 
inches in diameter, with strips one-half by one-half nailed, 
every four inches. Run this roller over the garden line 
and you have the impression of both the line and the strips. 




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Oeleey. 101 

This shows where the plants are to be set and gives a per- 
fectly straight row and uniform distance for setting. The 
plants may then be set, the dirt may be pressed to the roots 
and the water turned on. 

Cultivation". 
Frequent, shallow cultivation with a fine tooth harrow 
should be made. When the plants have been set thirty 
days', a second application of two thousand pounds per 
acre of good vegetable fertilizer should be scattered broad- 
cast and stirred in with a cultivator. Three weeks later 
an application of three hundred pounds of nitrate of soda 
per acre should be used, and repeated every ten days un- 
til celery is ready for bleaching. Celery is an expensive 
crop and one can not neglect it. Quick and steady growth 
insures a product that is tender and crisp. These quali- 
ties are essential to good prices. An acre of good celery 
should yield eight hundred to one thousand crates and it 
usually nets about a dollar per crate — sometimes more. 
These prices justify one in going to the expense. The 
plant is hardy and will stand a temperature of twenty- 
two without injury if it is in a normal condition. 

Bleaching. 
Boards twelve to fourteen inches wide are used in 
bleaching. One is placed on each side and brought up 
against the plant at the top. Second grade cypress is usu- 
ally used for this purpose. One to two weeks are required 
to bleach it, ard when this is done the plants are cut and 
packed in standard crates and loaded in refrigerator cars. 
This vegetable does not carry well in warm weather and 
refrigeration is necessary. 




The Climax — A Good Early Beeey. 



Stkawbeeries. 103 



STEAWBEKRIES. 

As my experience and observation with this fruit has 
been confined principally to Florida, and not feeling that 
I am well informed on its growth and culture in other 
States, what I have to say will apply to Florida only. 
However it is the writer's opinion that the growth and cul- 
ture of the strawberry should be about the same in the 
lower portion of the Gulf States as it is in Florida, as the 
climate is nearly the same. At any rate the instructions 
here given for its culture in Florida should be tested in 
the other sections referred to. 

Vaeieties. 

The question of varieties is an all-important one with 
strawberries much more so than with other garden plants. 
Some varieties which succeed admirably in Florida do 
not succeed elsewhere and vice versa. The Klondyke 
however seems to be the general favorite everywhere. 
This berry is undoubtedly the best ever tested in Florida, 
but has the disadvantage of being perhaps thirty days later 
than some other varieties. Lady Thompson is another 
well tried variety but several weeks later than some. It 
is large, handsome, very prolific and a fairly good shipper, 
but not so good a shipper as Klondyke. Excelsior is' the 
general favorite among the early varieties, frequently 
yielding berries for Thanksgiving. It is fair in quality 
and moderate size, and extremely early and prolific. It 
bears unusually well in cold weather, but is much inclined 



104 Tkuok Growing in the South. 

to rust — this disease causing the later shipments to be 
small and insipid, Eed Bird is another berrj which is 
about as early as Excelsior but is not self-pollinating. It 
is necessary to plant every third row in some pollinating 
variety, the Excelsior being the variety usually used for 
pollinating, as it is necessary to have two varieties bloom 
at the same time. Red Bird is a conical shaped berry 
and is large, early and handsome and a hardier berry than 
Excelsior, but the general complaint comes from all quar- 
ters that it does not fruit well in cold weather and for this 
reason alone nine-tenths of the growers are abandoning it. 
I would suggest however that such an early and valuable 
variety should not be given up without testing it further. 
It strikes' me that the reason of its unfruitfulness during 
cold weather lies in the fact that the berries being cov- 
ered with straw prevents fructification. This diflSculty 
might be avoided by covering with cloth, placing a polli- 
nating variety in each third or fourth hill, all in the samo 
row. The covering will be referred to later. The three 
varieties referred to are practically the only ones grown 
in Florida, many others having been tried but found want- 
ing. 

Soil. 

Strawberries must have a congenial soil to which they 
are adapted. They require a dark, damp soil, with a mod- 
erate supply of vegetable matter, but not too much. Low 
hammocks after having been cultivated for two years are 
the best for berries. ISTew lands will not do as the berry 
plants run too much to vine. Dark pine lands with plenty 
of moisture also do well, but are not so good as the ham- 




Brandywine Strawberry. 




A Cherry in the Berry Patch. 



106 Truck Growing in the South. 

mocks. Plenty of moisture is the first consideration. On 
this class of soils they succeed well without irrigation, but 
if dry lands are used irrigation must be resorted to. Light 
sandy soils whether hammock or pine rarely do well with 
strawberries'. 

Pkepaeation of Land. 

The land should be sown in cow peas not later than June 
fifteenth, and they should be mown a^out August 20. Let 
the peas lay on the ground ten days after moving. Cut 
them up well with disc harrow and then turn under 
shallow with turning plow. Let the ground lay in this 
shape until September 15th, then take the disc harrow 
and throw into straight beds three feet apart, open a fur- 
row on top of bed with bull tongue, and sow one thousand 
pounds per acre of good vegetable fertilizer, covering with 
double shovel. Let it stand thus until about October 1st, 
which is' the proper time to set plants. If one has favor- 
able weather the plants may be set a week sooner. Before 
setting run through the fertilizer with fine-tooth cultivator, 
and your land is ready to receive the plants. Care should 
be taken that no green vegetation of any consequence 
should be turned under at this season. A large growth of 
green matter turned under at this time of year will surely 
result in failure, producing acid in the soil. It has been 
found beneficial in many cases to use lime broadcast at the 
time of bedding, and I would recommend its trial at least. 

Setting Plants. 

October first is the proper time to set plants' in Florida. 
Where irrigation is not used it is important to set in 



Strawberries. 107 

cloudy, cool weather if possible. We always have a cloudy, 
cool spell of weather lasting about a week near the Equi- 
nox. This occurs sometimes just before and sometimes 
just afterward. This favorable weather should be taken 
advantage of in setting berries. If irrigation is employed 
however, they may be set at any time. In case the Skin- 
ner or overhead system is used the plants' should be sprayed 
daily for a week until they are well established. The 
plants are set in rows three feet apart and twelve inches in 
drill. Take a common garden hoe, cut the handle to two 
feet, and have a boy drop them the right distance apart. 
The setter takes the hoe in his right hand, the plant in his 
left. Open a hole somewhat slanting with the comer of 
the hoe, and place the roots of the plant in the hole, trying 
to spread them as much as possible. Then allow the dirt 
to fall back on the roots and press it firmly with the heel. 
Be careful to have the plant bud well above the surface. 

Cultivation. 

They should be cultivated the same as other crops, being 
careful that they are not worked deep after roots are well 
established. The beds should be maintained, and if 
worked down should be worked up again. The plants 
should have about two more applications of fertilizers of 
about one thousand pounds each. Make the second appli- 
cation about the time berries begin to form, and the third 
when half through picking. Use fertilizer containing two 
per cent, of the ammonia derived from nitrate of soda or 
nitrate of potash. 



108 Truck Growing in the South. 

Picking and Packing. 

The berries are picked and packed in quart baskets and 
shipped in pony refrigerators, holding eighty quarts each. 
It is necessary for one to provide himself with refrigera- 
tors sufficient to handle this crop before shipping. 

Protection. 

It is the universal practice for growers who move their 
crops early to provide pinestraw before frost sets in. This" 
is placed between the rows of plants and when cold weather 
is approaching the straw is drawn over the plants and 
raked off, as soon as the weather justifies. 

Wliile this is the universal method of protection, I 
would recommend for trial two six-inch boards, cypress 
preferred, say eighten or twenty feet long. Brace these 
together so as to have them twelve inches apart and take a 
medium grade of domestic, soak it in linseed oil, wring it 
out well, and tack this cloth over the boards. Place this 
cover over the row of plants, allowing it to remain night 
and day except when working or picking. While the ex- 
pense is somewhat more than straw, I believe the addi- 
tional advantages will justify the increase in cost. 

Growing Plants. 
It has been found that home-grown plants are far su- 
perior to plants grown elsewhere, and the usual custom is 
to get plants from points north of Georgia and set them 
here in Florida in March. They should be set about two 
by four feet on new hammock land if possible, on which 
no crop of weeds or grass has matured. These must be 
kept cultivated, and by October the ground will be covered 
with vigorous plants, which are then ready for setting. 



110 Truck Growing in the South. 



SWEET POTATOES. 

While this crop does not come specifically within the 
scope of the truck grower, at the same time it is a crop 
that is universally planted in the South, and comes in 
well for the truck grower after his garden crops are off. 
However, it may be stated here to judge that it is a crop 
that does not properly belong to precede vegetables. A 
separate plot of ground may be had for growing potatoes 
and they may be grown after the principal vegetable crops 
have been shipped. 

Vaeibties. 

The question of variety is one to be considered before 
the crop is planted, also a question of marketing and where 
marketed. In sweet potatoes, the Southern taste is wide- 
ly different from that of the ISTorth. The South will take 
only the potato that is sweet and juicy, what we call the 
"Yam," while the ISTorth wants nothing but something 
dry and mealy. 

Growing potatoes in the South for ISTorthern markets 
has' been tried only in a small way, and what the possibili- 
ties are are yet to be determined, however, my own expe- 
rience and observation in that line are quite favorable, as 
I have successfully grown the Jersey or ITansemond in 
Florida, and the quality is fully up to that product grown 
in Virginia or Jersey. I would advise experimenting 
with the Jersey potato for shipment to ISTorthern markets. 
If the Southern markets are the ones' in which the crops 



Sweet Potatoes. 



Ill 



are to be marketed, then we only have to consider varieties 
that are adapted to the Southern tastes. The "Pumpkin 
Yam" or the "Yellow Yam" is hj all means the only va- 
riety to be grown for Southern markets for table use. 
There are many other varieties of this yam, they go by 
different names in different localities', but one of the most 
popular variety now is the "JSTancy Hall." Thi^ 
potato was originated in Florida, but now is grown all 




Sweet Potato Stoee Rot Cae'sed by Bretising. 

over the South. It is one of the very best keepers of the 
pumpkin yam family, if not the best. It is a good pro- 
ducer, and in eating quality is perhaps one of the best. 
One of the chief objections, however, to the "I^ancy Hall" 
is its tendency to be slow in sprouting; another objection- 
able quality is that it makes a slow growth of vine, as vin^^s 
are largely relied upon in growing potatoes. 

The "Golden Beauty" which was introduced by the 
writer some years ago is considered by general consent 
among those who have tasted it, to be the best of the pump- 



112 Truck Geowing in the South. 

kin yam varieties'. In eating quality, it is unexcelled. In 
producing quality, it perhaps takes the lead of all. It is 
early, and a vigorous grower, producing great quantities 
of vine, it is a fair keeper, though not so good as the 
l^ancy Hall, but is perhaps as good a keeper as any of the 
other Yellow Yam varieties. 

"Enormous," "Key West," and some other varieties are 
great producers, but the quality is not so good as the pump- 
kin variety, however, they are fair in eating quality, and 
will produce much more than any of the pumpkin yam 
family. 

"Enormous" is a variety introduced by the writer some 
years ago, and was grown along side of the Nancy Hall 
and exactly doubled the latter in yield, producing 536 
bushels per acre on land that was lightly fertilized. 

For early planting, the potatoes' should be bedded on 
about four inches of stable manure and covered with about 
one inch of soil, and should be kept well watered. In the 
latitude of the southern part of the Gulf States, they 
should be bedded the 15th of January, and February 1st. 
As the potatoes begin to sprout through the ground, an ad- 
ditional inch of soil should be put on the bed. When 
vines are six inches high they may be drawn out and set 
in the field. 

Planting. 

When ready to set plants in the field, broadcast over 
the ground 1,000 pounds per acre of cottonseed-meal or 
Castorpomac, then throw up beds' about four feet apart, act 
the plants about 18 inches, keep the ground cultivated un- 



Sweet Potatoes. 113 

til the vines have met in the middles, using for this' pur- 
pose an ordinary sweep. About the time the vines have 
met in the middle, throw vines back and broadcast 
about 1,000 pounds per acre good vegetable fertilizer run- 
ning about 8 per cent, potash, throw the dirt from the 
middle of the row with a turning plow, and this finishes 
cultivation. It is presumed anyone is familiar with the 
method of digging. 

This crop is marketed principally in the local markets 
where it is grown, and if shipped at all, is usually in 
bulk or carload lots. 



114 Truck GRcnviNG in the South. 



WATERMELONS. 

This is a crop especially adapted to sandy soils' of tlie 
South. It is grown extensively for shipments to both 
jSTorthern and Southern markets. As is the case with po- 
tatoes, the question of variety is one to be considered in 
marketing the crops, as the South prefers a long slender 
melon, while the North prefer the large round variety. 
However, there are so many improved varieties now being 
introduced that it would hardly be safe to say what va- 
rieties would be preferred. Kattlesnake, Florida Favor- 
ite and Kleckley's Sweet are varieties which are popular 
in the South. Many of these, however, have not good 
shipping qualities, and do not carry well for a great dis- 
tance. They may be safely loaded, about one-half car of 
these being placed on top of other varieties which bear 
shipping better. For the Northern markets, the Kolb 
Gem, Duke Jones, and some others are popular varieties. 

Seed. 

By all means nothing but Southern grown seed should 
be used. There are reliable seed growers in the South, 
who grow seed on a large scale, and melon growers should 
get in touch with them. 

Planting. 

For the latitude at the lower portion of Gulf States, 
February 1st to the 15th, is the proper time to plant. For 
lower Florida, planting may be done as early as January 



116 Tbuok Geowinq in the South. 

10th. In all sections, plant covers should be provided to 
protect the plant against frost. The expense of covering 
is light, on account of the small number of hills per acre. 
It is by all means advisable to protect against frost or 
even cold nights. Tomato baskets holding about four 
quarts, or strawberry baskets are to be recommended for 
this purpose. While this does' not afford so tight a cover- 
ing as some other materials, it will save the crop against 
a heavy frost, and may be, allowed to remain over the 
plants four or five days, as they admit sufficient light and 
air to prevent dangering results. 

As before stated, sandy soil is preferred for melons. 
]^ew land is well adapted to this crop, also old fields that 
have laid out for a number of years. Low land in no 
case should be planted in melons. 

Lay off rows eight feet apart and check the same dis- 
tance. Before planting, open the furrow one way and 
put about two shovels of stable manure per hill, scattering 
it to a length of three feet and cover with two furrows, 
use in addition about one-half pound commercial fertilizer 
per hill. As soon as the ground is sufficiently wann to 
germinate the seed, they should be planted, four or five 
seed to the hill at the intersection of row and check. Plant 
the seed shallow, and firm the stfil well with the foot. 
The seed should be examined every few days, and if in- 
clined to rot, should be replanted along side of first plant- 
ing. Presuming that covers should be provided for frost 
protection, it will be unnecessary to make further planting 
after the seed are up. 

Cultivating should be done as for other crops, and when 
vines are a foot long, the second application of 1,000 



Wateemelons. 117 

pounds per acre of fertilizer sliould be*made on each side 
of the melons, plowing in with cultivation. 

Cultivation should be continued until vines have met 
in rows, and the vines should never be moved or turned 
in any case. 

Shipping. 

When the first melons are ready to ship, car should be 
provided and the floor covered with sawdust to a depth of 
six inches before melons are loaded, if sawdust can not be 
had, pine straw is a good substitute, using it to a depth of 
about twelve inches, and on each side of the car, as the 
melons are loaded. About 1,200 melons averaging twenty 
pounds is a car, and they should never be loaded much 
above a minimum car if the smaller melons are shipped. 
They should be shipped to themselves as grading is fully 
important in handling melons as it is with other crops. 



118 Truck Growing in the South. 

COWPEAS. 

This is strictly a Southern crop, as the seasons Korth 
are most too short and the nights too cool for this plant 
to grow to perfection. It is one of the great forage field 
crops of the South, and as a soil renovator, ranks with 
clover. It is also an important hay crop in the South, and 
the hay, if properly cured is unsurpassed in protein con- 
tent. It belongs to the Legume family and gathers it sup- 
ply of nitrogen from the atmosphere, hence its great value 
as a soil renovator. It is grown among corn. It may be 
sown broadcast at the last plowing of the corn or may be 
planted between the hills of corn, but the former method 
is probably the better. If planted by this method how- 
ever, it is not convenient to use the crop for hay, but the 
peas may be utilized for stock feed or seed purposes and 
the vines turned under for fertilizer. 

After crops of vegetables are oif, if it is desired to grow 
peas, they may be sown broadcast at the rate of one bushel 
per acre, and subsequently mowed for hay if they are to 
be used for that purpose. The roots of this crop contain 
a large per cent, of nitrogen and even after the crop is cut 
for hay, the soil is much improved by having the roots in 
the ground. 

Varieties. 

There are many varieties of cow peas', some which bear 
quite early and make a small bush, others which bear later 
and make much vine. The quantity of vines produced 
per acre should be the prime consideration, whether the 
crop is to be used for hay or for soil renovation. How- 



COWPEAS. 119 

ever, if the pods are to be utilized for stock feed, it is de- 
sirable to use the variety v^hich produces a large 
amount of peas as well as vines. The varieties suited to 
this purpose are Unknown (Wonderful) and Black, and 
will perhaps produce the largest amount of pods. If the 
crop is grown exclusively for hay or soil renovation, the 
quantity of vine of course is a prime consideration. For 
this purpose^ the Clay and Iron peas are to he recommend- 
ed. The Iron pea is perhaps the hardiest of all and has the 
advantage of most other varieties, in that it has a longer 
growing season, and grows until killed by frost no matter 
when planted. It also has a further advantage of other 
varieties, in that it is more resistent to hlight and root 
knot. This disease is particularly destructive to many 
crops, especially on sandy soil in warm latitudes. The 
iron pea is not fully immune, but in the presence of root 
knot will grow and thrive where other varieties fail to 
grow. 

Curing foe Hat. 

If properly cured, this crop makes excellent hay and 
as before stated stands very high in protein. If well cured 
hay of pea vines is fed to stock, the grain ration may be 
cut in half, hut unless it is properly cured it is' almost 
worthless and stock will not eat it. The writer has seen 
and tried a great many methods of curing pea vine hay, 
and for damp climates where rains are likely to come at 
any time, only one method can be recommended. While 
this incurs somewhat more expense than other methods it 
insures a first-class article of hay regardless of weather 
conditions. Build a shed 16x32 open on all sides but with 



120 Teuok Geowing in the Sotjth. 

a tightly covered roof, make it nine feet to eaves, then con- 
struct racks two and one-half feet apart and use 2x2 strips 
placed one foot apart. Cut sufficient vines to fill this rack 
up, commencing in the morning after the dew has dried 
off. Allow the vines to lay in the sun until late in the af- 
ternoon if possible, hut take them up the same day as cut. 
If there is a possibility of having rain early in the after- 
noon, they should be taken up before the rain comes. 
Scatter them loosely over the racks, being careful not to 
pack the vines, and allow an open space of at least six 
inches between racks for a free circulation of air. If the 
vines are put up without being wet with rain or dew, it 
matters not how much rain should come afterwards, you 
will have a first-class article of hay. It is advisable how- 
ever to bale this hay if possible. While it incurs some 
expense to build this shed, by having successive sowings 
of peas, it may be filled a dozen times or more during the 
season. 

Root Knot. 

This crop is very susceptible to root-knot and no va- 
riety except the Iron pea should be grovni on soil infested 
with root-knot. 



Ikish Potatoes. 121 



lEISH POTATOES. 



This is a crop which is grown extensively in almost all 
parts of the world; in fact, it is relied upon in a great 
many countries as their chief food crop. In Great Brit- 
ain and Ireland, the latter more particularly, it is the 
main food crop. In the United States it is grown every- 
where, but is used more extensively in the ISTorth than it is 
in the South. The crop is grown in the ISTorthern States in 
late summer, and is stored away for winter use. The 
old crop remains on the market frequently as late as the 
middle of May, Sometimes the hulk of it disappears 
earlier hut the supply of old potatoes always has a per- 
ceptible effect on prices of the new crop from the South. 
The size of the crop of old potatoes has very much to do 
in effecting the price of Southern grown stock and truck- 
ers may be guided to some extent in their calculations for 
planting by the government crop report on potatoes, 
which can be safely consulted in October 1st bulletin, or 
Crop Keporter. If the crop of the year preceding the 
one in which it is contemplated potatoes will be planted, 
is unusually large, or above normal, it would not be ad- 
visable to plant potatoes to any large extent. However, 
if there is a short crop of old potatoes, which can be as- 
certained from the Crop Eeporter about the first of Octo- 
ber, then it is nearly always a safe proposition to plant 
potatoes. However, ihe price of this crop rarely ever 
reaches a high market unless it is for the first that appear 
in the market, for which there is always a limit in de- 



122 Truck Growing in the South. 

mand. Whenever the fancy trade is supplied and they 
get to he very plentiful in the market and the price comes 
down to the level of the working class, a heavy crop of 
potatoes coming into competition with an unusually large 
crop of old potatoes, necessarily hrings the price very low 
on both. 

Varieties. 

As in the case with all other plants, the question of va- 
rieties is a very important one to consider. 

For Southern planting, the Rose has always had the 
preference. Spalding's Rose l^o. 4 is decidely the most 
popular potato to-day in this section. Bliss' Red is an 
early potato, some ten days earlier than Spalding's Rose, 
but is very susceptible to blight, and imless seed can be 
obtained that is free from blight and planted on land 
that is practically free from blight, it is not advisable to 
plant this variety. 

There are other early varieties that are preferred per- 
haps in some localities, but I think there are very few that 
will equal Spalding's Rose. 

Planting in the latitude of South Florida should begin 
about January 15th. In the lower section of other Gulf 
States about February 1st would be full early. 

Cutting the potato is a question on which there has been 
much diversity of opinion. The universal experience of 
planters, however, seems to be settled that potatoes' should 
be planted fresh cut. Some experiments have been made 
drying the potato after it has been cut, and some with lin- 
ing, but from my own experience and observation it is de- 



124 Teuok Geowing in the South. 

sirable to plant the potato fresh cut, rather than a day or 
two after they have been cut. 

No specific rule can be given for cutting potatoes. 
Large potatoes, however, are usually cut with one eye, and 
small ones contain several eyes. 

Soil. 

It is important in planting this crop that the proper 
kind of soil should be selected. By all means a sufficient 
amount of moisture should be had. Potatoes are partial 
to damp, heavy soils, with an abundance of vegetable mat- 
ter and moisture, and without irrigation this class of soil 
must be had. However, where irrigation is used, what 
we call high land, may be used successfully in planting 
potatoes, but never a light, sandy soil. If low land is 
used and is not properly dried or drained, the land should 
be plowed into beds before the planting is done. If the 
land is to be bedded, fertilizer should be sown broadcast 
at the rate of fifteen hundred (1,500) pounds per acre, 
and then plowed into beds with turning plow. Then open 
a light furrow on top with a scooter plow and drop the 
potatoes about fifteen inches apart, making the rows three 
(3) feet wide; then cover lightly with hoe, not over one 
inch deep. Where irrigation is used on higher land, the 
ground should be well broken and laid off in rows two and 
one-half (2^) feet apart with scooter plow; then sow 
in the furrow, fifteen to two thousand pounds of good 
commercial fertilizer. When planting is to be done nm 
in these furrows again with eight-inch shovel plow. This 
throws most of the fertilizer out of the furrow, but covers 
it at the same time. Then drop the potato about the same 



Ikish Potatoes. 125 

distance as' recommended on low land and cover with a 
hoe about one (1) inch deep. Some may object to the 
extra expense of covering with hoe, but as this expense is 
very light and it insures the potatoes being planted at the 
proper depth, one is justifiable in going to some little ex- 
tra expense. 

This crop requires a little more potash than most vege- 
tables. A fertilizer running ammonia 5 per cent., phos- 
phoric acid 6 per cent., actual potash 8 per cent., is about 
right. The potato is a tender plant and will not stand a 
lower temperature than 32. However if they are killed 
down when just up they will recover and make a good 
yield. 

The great object of light covering is to insure a good 
stand in case of cold or wet weather, and one rarely ever 
fails to get good results when potatoes are planted by this 
method. 

Ctjltivatign. 

Just as the potatoes begin to appear through the ground, 
the land should be gone over with a sweep or cultivator 
and the furrows filled up and the ground left in a level 
condition. This answers two purposes ; a cultivation is' 
made, as weeds and grass generally appear with the pota- 
toes, and at the same time the potatoes are covered to a 
greater depth, which postpones the danger of being killed 
by frost for a week or ten days longer besides if they are 
hurt by frost after being covered in this manner, they will 
recuperate more rapidly on account of being covered to a 
greater depth. 

After the potatoes have grown to be about eight (8) 
inches high, by which time another crop of weeds will 



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IkISH PoTATOJiS. 127 

have appeared, then take the sweep and raise the furrow 
sufSciently to cover any small grass or weeds that may 
appear in the row. This method of planting and cultiva- 
ting does away with any necessity for hoeing, and is to be 
recommended on that account. However, its great ad- 
vantage is in planting the potatoes at shallow depth and in 
the insurance of a good stand under any condition. 
Haevesting. 

After the potatoes have attained their growth and the 
vines have become somewhat yellow, it is then time to har- 
vest. A further test of the potatoes might also be made 
by digging a few potatoes, and if the skin does not slip 
easily, it is an indication that the potatoes are matured 
and ready to dig. 

Where they are planted or sufficient scale to justify the 
expense, one is advisable in buying an improved two-horse 
potato digger, or it would be economical for several of the 
neighbors to club together and buy one of these instru- 
ments, as the work is done much more cheaply and satis- 
factorily. 

The potatoes after having been dug are allow^ed to re- 
main in the sunshine just long enough to dry off what soil 
clings to the potato; then they are taken up and graded 
and packed in a barrel made for the purpose. Those run- 
ning two and one-half (2I/2) inches and upwards in diam- 
eter, which have not been cut in digging and are free from 
scab, are to be classed as I^o. I's. The smaller potatoes, 
provided they are sufficiently large for table use, are to be 
graded to themselves and classed as ISTo. 2's. The bal- 
ance of the crop may be kept for fall planting, bein^ 
stored away in some cool place and used in the fall. 



128 Tkuck Gkowing in the South. 



COLLAEDS. 

Wliile this crop is never grown for shipment, it is prof- 
itably grown in a small way for local use, and for home 
consumption. In the lower South where salads are scarce 
in summer, the collard will be found handy in the home 
garden. It is easily grown. It should be planted 5 by 2, 
and when about to go to seed, the heads should be cut out 
and the sprouts will be found very palatable if kept in a 
thrifty condition. 



SPII^ACH. 



In the ISTorth this' plant is growing extensively for salad, 
but it is just becoming known in the South at present. It 
can hardly be recommended to Southern gardeners for 
shipment, on account of the limited demand in the South, 
and distance from ITorthern markets. Still an effort 
should be made to introduce it in the South, as it is a de- 
licious salad, and very healthful on the account of the 
presence of iron. It is hardy, surviving a temperature of 
20, and may be grown in the South as a winter crop. 
Plant in October and ]N"ovember in rows two feet apart, 
and thin to eight to ten inches in the drill. Rich soil is re- 
quired for this crop. The curled Savoy and Pound Leaf 
are good varieties. 



Irish Potatoes. 129 



HOW TO PREPAEE FOR, PLANT AND CULTI- 
VATE FALL IRISH POTATOES. 

By Loeing Brown. 

The most suitable place to plant fall potatoes is after 
grain when it has been cut off in June. Thoroughly break 
the land with a two to four inch scooter, using a right-hand 
Johnston Wing set up high so as not to turn the stubble. 
The stubble should be thoroughly torn apart but not turned 
under. After breaking, run a harrow (either a tooth or 
cut-a-way) over the sod, and either use a roller or drag 
behind the hairrow, making a good seed bed. This should 
be done early in June, just after the grain is taken off of 
the land, so as to allow the land to work back together and 
fill with moisture before planting. By working the stub- 
ble to the top it will answer as a mulch and preserve the 
moisture that has been stored in the soil during the winter, 
which is very important for a large yield of potatoes'. 
Any time after the fiirst of July is the proper time for 
planting in Middle Georgia.. When ready for planting 
use a three or four-inch scooter with two Johnston Wings 
on the guano distributor to lay the rows off with, two one- 
half to three feet apart. Put in at least six hundred to 
one thousand pounds of 10-2-2 guano in the drill and stir 
it thoroughly with a two-inch scooter in the open furrow. 

Cut a medium size potato into four paints and a large 
size one into six parts. Have at least two good eyes on 
each tuber which will insure a strong, stocky plant. z\. 



130 Truck Grow i kg in the South. 

small piece of the tuber will produce a straight spindling 
plant which will not make many potatoes. These potatoes 
should be cut a few at the time, just enough to plant imme- 
diately behind the freshly opened furrows. A handful 
of air-slack lime should be sifted over each bucket of cut 
tubers. This will heal th'e cut and keep it from bleeding 
and losing its strength. They should be dropped from 
fourteen to sixteen inches apart with the eye down, step- 
ping lightly on each tuber to press it next to the moist 
dirt. This will enable the tuber to start germination at 
once, as it unites with the moisture. If turned with the 
eye up it will not germinate until a sufficient rain has 
packed the dirt closely around the eye. Summer or fall 
planted potatoes should be^ turned with the eye down next 
to the cool moist dirt, but a spring planted potato should 
be turned with the eye up so as to get the warmth — just 
opposite from the late summer and fall planted potatoes. 
After dropping the potatoes they should be covered up im- 
mediately with four to six inches of dirt. If the weather 
is very dry and hot it is a good idea to run a roller or drag 
over the land to hold the moisture in the soil. Examine 
the potatoes every few days and if you find they are germ- 
inating promptly run a weeder or harrow over them twice 
by the time they begin to come through the ground, and 
as soon as they are large enough give them a good plough- 
ing with a Planet Junior Cultivator, using tliree-quarter 
or one-inch feet on same or a very small scooter on any or- 
dinary Hayman Stock with Fender, and run it next to the 
potato, close up. Thoroughly hoe them with a potato fork 
immediately after this ploughing. Then take your guano 
distributor and put at least one thousand pounds of sixteen 



Fall Irish Potatoes. 131 

per cent, acid to the acre, around each side of the row. 
Cover this with a scrape and scooter, or better, with a 
Planet Junior, using a small scooter on all feet for this 
purpose. With two more ploughings (either with the 
Planet Junior or the scrape and scooter) the potatoes will 
be sufficiently worked. They should be laid by almost on 
a level and not ridged up like spring potatoes. They will 
mature thoroughly in ninety days, ordinarily. Work 
them fast and lay by early. After the first killing frost 
they should be dug and not allowed to remain in the 
ground until after a hard freeze. 

I find the best way to dig them is to get several hands 
with straight spading forks in the field and let them spade 
up all they can from early morning until noon on a pretty 
day. This will allow them to dry out and very few pota- 
toes will bei left in the ground. In the afternoon I start 
the hands to picking up the potatoes in bushel baskets. 
They can be put in barrels in a cellar, or it is preferred 
to put them on shelves one foot deep, placed one above the 
other and slatted so air can circulate throng hthem, in an 
ordinary house, a barn or a cellar is preferred. In this 
way they will keep until June of the following year with- 
out sprouting very much. If exposed too much in very cold 
weather cover up with straw removing it in early spring to 
give air. In May or June, if they begin to sprout too 
much, it is a good idea to give them air and light, which 
will check the sprouting. To secure a perfect stand of po- 
tatoes and have them thrive and do well, the potatoes 
should be full of moisture and not shriveled up. Most 
people have them planted in this shriveled stage, and that 
is one of the main reasons why they do not get a good 



132 Truck Growing in the South. 

stand. If the Lookout Mountain Irish potatoes which aje 
a strictly fall potato are planted and treated strictly ac- 
cording to these directions there is no trouble in making 
from two hundred to three hundred bushels of potatoes af- 
ter wheat or oat crop on good ordinary land and they will 
harvest in plenty time to put another grain crop on the 
same land. The late planting will never be bothered with 
potatoe bugs. You can afford to fertilize both crops extra 
heavy because the fertilizer that is not available for one 
crop is there mixed with the soil and will be utilized by 
the other and nothing will be lost. I have practiced this 
method and it has improved both crops every year for ten 
yeairs. Nothing will pay better on an average farm than 
Appier oats and Lookout Mountain Fall Irish potatoes. 
You can easily get $1.00 per bushel in the fall for all of 
the Appier seed oats a man can raise, and seventy-five to 
one hundred bushels can be expected per acre. The Irish 
potatoes will always sell at $2.00 to $2.50 per bushel per 
bushel by keeping them until June or July. This will en- 
able you to have a crop to sell each six months off of the 
same land. I harvested two hundred and fifty bushels 
on one acre, which I have sold at $2.00 and $2.50 per 
bushel, and I made one hundred and four bushels of oats 
on the same acre, which I sold at $1.00 per bushel, making 
at least $600 altogether on one acre of good ISTorth Georgia 
land the past fall. Two years ago I harvested over fifteen 
hundred bushels of these potatoes, and the year before that 
I harvested about one thousand bushels. I have never yet 
seen the time when I could supply my demand for seed. 
Give them a thorough trial and nothing will pay the 



Fall Ieish Potatoes. 



133 



Southern farmers better or find a moire ready sale. Thou- 
sands of dollars are sent out of Georgia every year for 
Western grown potatoes, and we should keep every cent of 
it here. 

Belmont Farm, Smyrna, Ga. 




Sugar Coen and Eaely Black Grain. 



134 Trl'Ok Growing in the South. 



WIIS'TER CABBAGE AND HOW TO GROW THEM. 
By Tom R. Zachaky. 

We promised to write an article on vairieties of winter 
eabbagt^ for your May 15tli issue but failed to get np copy 
in time for publication. 

Eirst, we will tell the readers' of the Cultivator some- 
thing about the merits and history of the North Carolina 
Buncombe cabbage. 

In the year 1832, our grandfather, John A. Zachary, 
moved from Sunry County, N. C*., to this valley, known 
then and since as Cashiers Valley, cutting his way through 
the wilderness into the heart of the Blue Ridge Mountains. 
He brought with him a few spoonfuls of his favorite cab- 
bage seed, having used them for many j^ears previous', 
since that time his variety of cabbage has been grown and 
kept up by the Zacharys and other people of the Blue 
Ridge section. For many years this variety of cabbage 
had no name. 

As late as 1850 the mountaineers of this section hauled 
chestnuts, venison, hams', apples and cabbage to Augusta, 
Ga., a distance of 200 miles or more ; (that being the near- 
est railroad point at that time) ; and exchanged their pro- 
duce for such "luxuries" as Liverpool salt, brown sugar, 
coffee, and for bunch thread used by our mothers who wove 
the breeches in those days and may have worn them too, as 
some of them are in the habit of doing until this day in 
some parts of the country. 

Alexander Zachairy, the writer's father, in making thos? 
annual trips to market, always carried a few pounds of 



How TO Grow Winter Cabbage. 135 

our native cabbage seed with liim for the purpose of ex- 
ehauging for corn and fodder, and sometimes exchanging 
a tablespoonful of seed for 10 cents. 

'Way back in the thirties, and even later, a large portion 
of western North Carolina was known as Buncomho 
county, nicknamed "the State of Buncombe." Later be- 
ing ireduced to different counties, the Buncombe county of 
to-day ejnbraces a very small part of her original territory. 

The people along the Augusta road, thinking that every- 
body from ISTorth Carolina came from the State of Bun- 
combe, very naturally called the seeds purchased from 
wagons "Buncombe Cabbage Seed." 

And now, gentle ircader, you know about as well what 
the Buncombe cabbage is as the "wooden nutmeg men" 
know when they put some cabbage seed in a paper and 
sell them as jSTorth Carolina Buncombe cabbage seed. 

The original of this strain of cabbage belongs to the 
Drumhead family, is of a round shape, and somewhat of an 
irregular header. Its good keeping qualities are kept up 
by careful selection of heads for seeding purposes, being- 
grown at an altitude of nearly four thousand feet above 
sea level, and hybridizing with a certain old-time strain of 
cabbage about every ten years'. 

The Buncombe is used in the Cotton States for all sorts 
of purposes, but is mostly sown in June and July for fall 
and winter use. We don't recommend the Buncombe for 
territory north of the Mason and Dixon line, for the rea- 
son that they are peculiarly adapted only to the Southern 
climate; and w^hen gu'own too far North, degenerate and 
become unreliable keepers, just as most Northern strains 
become poor keepers in the Southland. 



136 Truck Growing in the South. 

The subject of sowing seeds covers so large a field that 
it is impossible to crowd it all into one short article. What 
we want to say just now is' intended for the benefit of those 
who are contemplating sowing cabbage for the fall or win- 
ter use. 

We^ often get letters from people asking when and how 
to sow a certain kind of cabbage seed. To answer such in- 
quiry intelligently, we must know three things : Jst. la 
what degree of latitude seed are to be sown ; 2nd. Height 
above sea level ; 3rd. Where were the seeds grown. There 
is no one rule or set of rules governing the time for sowing 
late cabbage that will apply in common to the different 
sections of the South. 

About the only solution of this problem is for every 
farmer to watch for one season the growth of his late or 
winter cabbage, and be governed afterwards in sowing the 
same kind of cabbage for the information gained through 
his observation. 

It usually requires about six weeks after seed are sown 
for plants to get into condition best suited for transplant- 
ing, and from two to three months more for the maturing 
of the different strains of late cabbage. Latitude in which 
seed are grown has much to do with the time necessary 
for the cabbage to head. The farther North the seed are 
grown, the quicker maturity takes place ; and like the 
peach, the quicker to mature the sooner they will rot. 

The seeds you grow yourself from late cabbage, or those 
grown along the Blue Ridge in IS^orth Carolina and Geor- 
gia are the seed we recommend for late keepers for the 
readers of the Cxjltivator in general. This class of cab- 
bage may be sown as late as September along the sea coast. 



How TO Grow Winter Cabbage. 137 

while foir winter transplanting, thev should be sown in Oc- 
tober or early part of November and transplanted from 
December to March. 

The best way to sow seeds, is to burn a brush pile or a 
lot of trash on new ground or sow in a place where the 
ground is fairly good The soil should be well pulverized. 
See that the plant bed is kept damp until the seed come up. 
From the time the seed are sown until the plants start 
growing the bed should be protected from the direct rays 
of the sun. An arbor, five or six feet above the bed, serves 
this purpose best. ISTever put stable manure in your seed 
bed. If your plant bed is too rich, you get fewer plants, 
and they are more likely to fall victim to "sore shank" and 
other ruinous diseases which often rob the farmer of late 
cabbage. 

Cashiers, IST. C. 




Asparagus is a Crop that Pays Well 
IN Most Sections. 



138 Truck Gkowing in the South. 



HOW WE RAISED A CROP OE TURNIPS. 
By J. B. HuNNicuTT. 

Some years ago when we were just beginning* to learn 
to farm better we had a rather singular experience. 
Eleven weeks of drouth had cut off the corn crop. How 
we should manage to farm next year without this corn was 
a serious question. We decided to try an experiment. 
We did not believe in buying corn on credit. ISTo man 
can farm successfully that way. It was too late to plant 
corn. We had not learned to use many of the substitutes 
now used for corn, so we tried turnips. 

We had never seen turnips grown for this purpose. But 
we had five acres of very thin land, the top of the hill some- 
what washed. Erom this we had cut a crop of grain. We 
took our big plows and broke this twelve to thirteen inches 
deep. The clay was very dry and the sub-soiling very 
hard to do. We then harrowed and plowed and harrowed 
again and again. AVe do not know how many times we 
went over; but we luade the soil so fine and so deep that 
the plow hands took off their shoes and put them in the 
fence corner because they sank over the shoe tops. 

HOW INIANURED ANIJ PLANTED. 

We used stable an<l lot manures broadcast and har- 
rowed in. Then we put fertilizers in the drills as we 
bedded. We harrowed the tops of these beds until it Avas 
fine. We never saw so much dust. The horses and 
bnnds were covered with it. Then Ave opened the small 



How We Kaised a Crop of TuKNiPis. 139 

furrow with the plow foot without any hoe on. We 
sowed the seed covered with a small tooth harrow and 
rolled with a piece of log fixed behind the harrow. Up 
to this time there had been no rain. Our neighbors 
laughed at us for sowing in so much dust ; but we trusted 
in Providence and did the best we could. The farmer 
can always afford to do this. 

THE KESULT, 

The rain came, the turnips came up and grew off. We 
worked them promptly. And such turnips we have never 
seen grown on poor land. We fed our mules and horses 
on these turnips, for we found that all stock do well on ruta- 
bagas. We sold those turnips to our neighbors who had 
laughed at us ; we fed our family from that turnip crop 
and we shipped carloads of them to Atlanta. 

We instructed our commission merchant to sell them 
and invest the net proceeds in corn and ship to us. The 
turnips kept going and the corn kept coming. We had 
more than corn enough to make the next crop. 

The full value of that turnip crop we have not counted 
up exactly. The railroads at that time got a full share 
for freight, about three- times as much as they now charge. 
That turnip crop saved our farming that year from being 
a losing business and made it a profitable one. 

So now we advise you to prepare a turnip patch and 
raise turnips. Thei yellow fleshed varieties are the best 
for stock. Sow anywhere from July 20th to September 
1st. 

Making the dust was the main point in our experiment. 
Turnips rejoice in a finely pulverized soil. Be sure to 



140 



Teuck Growing in the South. 



use some kind of roller. A keg or barrel will do good 
work. Be sure to hoe them to a stand promptly. This is 
a very important point. Grow turnips. If you can not 
sell them you can feed them. 
Atlanta, Ga., 1904. 




Old-Time Market Scene. 



Watermelon Cultueb. 141 



WATERMELON CULTURE. 
By W. B. Rodbebehy. 

Well drained land should be selected. If early ship- 
ment is desired a hillside with southern exposure is bet- 
ter. I prefer land that is' rather sandy, although our 
stiffest lands in this section produces watermelons to good 
advantage. 

The land should be broken broadcast as deep as possi- 
ble, then check with small plow ten feet each way. Open 
the center furrow with small two-horse middle buster or 
largest round shovel that one horse can pull. 

Apply 500 pounds of guano per acre as per following 
analysis : 

9 per cent, phosphoric acid. 
3 per cent, nitrogen. 
5 per cent, potash. 

In applying this fertilizer put one-third in the center 
furrow mentioned above, distributing it in the furrow ex- 
tending about two feet each way from the check making 
the guano cover a space of about four feet in this furrow. 
List on this with two one-horse turn-plow furrows putting 
one-third of the 500 pounds in each of the two list-fur- 
rows letting some of the guano scatter on top of the list. 
This will make the guano cover the space of about IS 
inches to two feet wide and four feet long at the check. 
Then burst this list or bed open with a five or six-inch 
long shovel or any other plow that will thoroughly mix 
the soil with the guano that has been applied. This will 
leave the land on a level. 



142 Teuck Geowikg i]v the South. 

Then bed up high with two-horse turn plow two or four 
furrows making a good high bed, not very wide, two fur- 
rows being preferred by some, rather than four furrows 
on which to plant. The bed is now ready for planting. 

In this section we begin planting as early as we are 
reasonably safe from frost, beginning about the first to 
the 10th of March. As there is always more or less dan- 
ger of frost until after April 1st in this section. I make 
three plantings of seed, one every ten days beginning from 
the 1st of March to the 10th of March. This usually in- 
sures a stand even if we have frost as late as April 1st, as 
the last planting is in the ground at that time. 

I plant from three to five seed at the time. The first 
planting is right on the check, the next planting being to 
one side and the third planting to the other side of the 
check. I use a hoe in planting, knocking the bed down 
well to the moist soil. 

I plant very shallow, covering not over three-quarter- 
inch, being, careful to place moist dirt on top of the seed 
and to press this dirt with the hoe. The mark made well 
with the hoe will indicate where each planting is made so 
that in making two or three plantings there is no danger 
of interfering with seed previously planted, although they 
may have not yet come up. 

I am sure that much of the complaint that is common 
every year as to bad stands is due to the fact that the seed 
are planted too deep in the ground. We usually have 
some packing rains during March and the gTOund is cold, 
therefore seed can not come up unless planted shallow. 

As soon as the seed are out of the ground the soil around 
the young plants should be stirred so as to let the sunshine 



Watermelon Culture. 143 

and air in. Melon plants will get the third leaf quicker 
if woirked as soon as they come up. When a good stand 
is secured I put two more two-horse^ furrows on the bed 
throwing the dirt as near the top of the bed as possible not 
to cover up the young plants. 

I next plow the melons, usually with a sweep, thus 
cleaning the drill and filling up the two-horse furrow that 
has been left open. I then bed out the middles with 'd 
two-horse plow throwing as much dirt to the melon row 
as possible. 

I find that it is best to have the melons on a high ridge 
such as can be made with two-horse plow as our greatest 
trouble in the cultivation of melons is usually sobbing of 
the land and scalding of the vines by continued rains that 
we usually have while the melons are bearing; therefore, 
the bed should be well drained into deep middles. If a 
two-horse plow is not available I would advise plowing 
out the middles two times with one-horse plow throwing 
the dirt to the melon row both times. 

As soon as the young plants begin bunching, to run, I 
thin to one plant in the hill and cultivate often with 
sweeps keeping just ahead of the vines', not disturbing the 
vines by turning them, except up to the time they are 
three feet long. I find it advisable to lay the vines length- 
wise on the drill and plow up close, but after the vines 
get old enough to begin blooming and forming young mel- 
ons they should not be turned or disturbed ; by depressing 
the handles of the plow, the wings of the sweeps will pass 
under the ends of the longest vines without injury to them. 

Continuing to plow wit hsweeps just ahead of the vines 
until they are lapping in the middle and then plow no 




Second Harvest Melons Prom Pecan Grove. 



Watermelon Cultuee. 145 

more. I find it profitable to pull off all young melons in 
excess of two or three to the vine up to the time that these 
two or three melons are nearly grown. In pruning of 
course all ill-shaped melons' or lop-sided melons should be 
clipped off in every instance even if none are left on the 
vines. This applies to round melons as we have mainly 
lop-sided melons of this variety. 

All long melons that have long necks like a gourd should 
be pulled off as such melons never pay to ship and I be- 
lieve the industry suffers' every year by the fact that some 
farmers will persist in loading such melous. 

The yield of one good melon per vine is about an aver- 
age crop and will make about one carload of melons to ev- 
ery two acres. Occasionally we get a yield of a car per 
acre which is about two melons per vine depending of 
course upon the size of the melons ; however, it is very rare 
that the yield is this good. 

The trade now demands cars containing about 30,000 
pounds of melons and of round melons a good average 
size is about 30 pounds each for Kolb Gems and 35 pounds 
each for Triumphs' or round blues. 

Of the long varieties a good average size is 25 pounds 
for Rattle Snakes and 30 pounds for Watsons. This lat- 
ter variety is a long blue melon and is at this time a 
most popular shipping variety, being a most excellent "cut- 
ter" as' the round varieties are not such good "cutters." 
The term "cutter" applies to the quality of the melon for 
eating. 

Oue of the most important things in shipping melons is 
the proper handling and loading of the melons into the 



146 Truck Geowikg in the South. 

cars. The melons should be thoroughly ripe through and 
through, uot pink, but red ready to eat. 

The old idea that watermelons will ripen some after be- 
ing clipped from the vines has long since been proven to 
be a fallacy. Melons must be good to eat when shipped if 
they are good to eat at destination. 

The industry suffers more from shipping green melons 
than any other thing. If every car could be guaranteed to 
be perfectly ripe when shipped, I believe that the. average 
price on our melons in Greorgia would be advanced $10.00 
per car ; but dealers have learned from sad experience that 
the risk of loss from green melons is very great, therefore, 
they hedge against this probable loss by shading the price 
from $5.00 to $20:00 per car. 

This loss is sustained by the grower and is caused by 
the selfish, penny-wise, pound-foolish farmer who clips his 
melons too green in order to rush them on the market 
ahead of his neighbor, hoping thereby to secure a fancy 
price. 

Melons should not be pitched into cars like they were 
basballs but should be handled tenderly into the wagons in 
the fields and we should be just as careful in handling 
them into the car. I have seen many a melon buyer turn 
away in disgust from a car of melons that were being 
handled like pig-iron by the owner or packer because this 
kiyer kne-w that if a melon is bruised as it is put into the 
car or the heart broken loose from the side perhaps, that 
this melon would be worthless at its final destination a 
week later. 

The loss from rotten melons each year is largely caused 
by the rough handling of the loaders. The melons should 



Watermelon Culture. 147 

be packed into the car in smootJi, snug layers so that they 
will not shift or roll about, and should be four or five lay- 
ers deep, which is the usual method according to the size ; 
if the melons' are 30 pounds or larger, four layers in 36- 
foot cars will make a car load; if the melons are small or 
the cars short five layers should be put in the door-way. 

All cars should be heavily bedded with straw or hay 
and in packing the melons a handfull of straw should be 
placed between each melon and the side and end of the 
car. This of course only applies to the outside tiers. 
Cars that are well ventilated should be selected, especially 
should cars have vents in the end at the bottom and all 
shippers should be careful to see that the bottom vents are 
open and that the doors are well ventilated. 

The door-ways in the cars should be boarded iTp as high 
as the melons are- packed leaving cracks between these 
boards so as not to interfere with the circulation of the air 
through the ventilator doors. 

No melons should be loaded in cars that have contained 
bulk acid phosphate, lime or salt unless such cars are well 
lined with heavy furniture or carpet paper so as to pre- 
vent the melons from coming in contact with lime, salt or 
phosphate. Unless the precautions are adhered to the 
melons are apt to prove a total loss as they will rot fear- 
fully under such conditions. 

I had 38 acres in Triumph melons this year and I 
shipped 19 cars ; about half these cars were loaded with 
melons that averaged 45 pounds each and the other half 
averaged from 30' to 35 pounds each. I could have shipped 
five or six more cars of melons that would have averaged 
25 pounds but the market was' in such shape that it would 



148 Teuck Growing in the South. 

not pay me to load these small melons, I therefore fed 
them to my hogs and they are worth growing for this pur- 
pose alone provided you have the hogs to feed them to. 

I received from the 19 cars, $1,960.00 f. o. b. cars at 
loading point. 

These melons cost me approximately $700.00 loaded on 
the cars. Melons can he grown in this section under pres- 
ent cost of labor for $10.00 to $12.00 per acre not includ- 
ing hauling and loading. 

I had to haul my melons about two miles and it cost me 
about $15.00 per car to clip, haul and load the melons into 
the car, valuing my teams at $2.50 per day for driver and 
team. 

Now to conclude, I think the best advice that I can give 
to the prospective grower of melons is to be sure to accept 
any reasonable offer for melons f. o. b. cars at loading 
point rather than to ship them on consignment. 

I have been growing and shipping melons for 20 years 
and I have observed the experience of other people and" I 
have seen a good deal of money made by the farmers of 
this section when they sell the melons and get the money 
before the melons leave and I have seen a great many peo- 
ple lose money heavily on melons by shipping them on 
commission. 

Cairo, Ga. 



COLLAKDS. 149 



COLLARDS. 
By Chakles Decknee. 
The Georgia or Southern collard for the past ten years 
has taken a prominent place with the truck farmer so that 
perhaps several hundred acres now are grown for the At- 
lanta market. While it has been a leading vegetable in 
the Southern home garden for a century or more yet up to 
ten years ago it was not offered to the trade. It is said 
that it originated from the regular cabbage and that col- 
lards are nothing more than degenerated cabbage, as it 
is evident that cabbage seed grown in the South sucees 
sively will lose its heading propensity and become coUards. 
But this may be as it will, the fact remains that the col- 
lard is sought on our Southern table during winter to take 
the place of cabbage and is preferred by a majority to that 
of cabbage and being hardier to stand winter than the lat- 
ter its cultivation is more desirable. To grow collards 
forty years ago the family vegetable garden was the only 
place where it could be found and to-day hundreds of acres' 
are annually planted for the Atlanta market. The old 
custom to sow the seeds in seed beds in March and trans- 
plant as soon as large enough and so "summer" the plants 
over has long been abandoned by our wide-awake truck 
farmers and now the seed is sown in July and August 
either in beds and transplanted or else it is drilled right 
on the field which had been prepared and enriched as' for 
cabbage, and if the soil contains sufficient moisture to 
bring them up and give them a good start there will be no 
further trouble. The land selected for collards is land 



150 Tkuck Growing in the South. 

that had been harvested or been in an early ^-egetable cro^J 
such as' early com, tomatoes, cucumbers, beans, etc. As 
soon as the former crop is off the field for collards should 
be enriched with barnyard manure or fertilizer containing 
high pdrcentage of potash and nitrogen should the land re- 
quire such fertilization. Where plants are set out allow- 
ance should be made for eight or ten days which the plants 
require to establish themselves while those sown on the 
field will have the advantage besides the difficulty in start- 
ing plants at this season. Whether set or sown the rows 
must be three feet apart and as much distance in the row 
as the vigor of the plants' require, ilf sown they must be 
thinned which we do by chopping them out with a hoe 
leaving three or more plants to the hill and as soon as more 
room is required we thin them by hand leaving one or 
more plants to the hill. We haven't found any difference 
in the variety of the soil when fertility and preparation 
are the same, however we would prefer a southern expos- 
ure, being a winter crop. If you find that your collards 
are not growing rapidly enough, and you should desire to 
force them, put some nitrate of soda around them. From 
100' to 150 pounds of nitrate of soda will certainly make 
them grow rapidly, and the more rapid the growth the 
more tender the collards' and I think better the flavor. 
There are two reasons in favor of the late planting. One 
is, you do not breed so many wonus and harlequin bugs to 
pray upon them, and secondly, the collards are more ten- 
der and edible. 
Atlanta, Ga. 



Spinach. 151 



SPINACH. 

By Charles Decknee. 
The spinach belongs to our winter and early spring veg-^ 
etables. It is a very desirable dish during the winter sea- 
son when variety is greatly sought. While spinach is not 
a strictly Southern dish yet its use is annually increased 
as the taste becomes more and more cultivated. The soil 
for spinach should be deep and rich, made so by the appli- 
cation of barnyard manure. The use of commercial ma- 
nure for spinach could not be recommended unless the 
land on which it is to grow has been well enriched the pre- 
vious year wdth barnyard manure or as an addition to an 
application to barnyard manure. Spinach, especially for 
market, should be so^ti as early in fall as the weather will 
permit, commencing about the middle of August. Should, 
however, the weather be hot and dry at this season, sowing 
must be deferred until the weather is cool and moist. A 
succession of sowing until the middle of l^ovember is ad- 
visable. Spinach will not germinate in too hot weathei- 
and if it should come up the hot sun will destroy it. 
Thousands of pounds of spinach seed are annually lost by 
planting too soon. Drainage is another material point to 
consider. N^othing will injure spinach as much and fre- 
quently destroy it as an excess of water. Surface drain- 
ing can be made to suffice on upland, but if bottom land is 
not sufficiently under drained so as' to remove the surplus 
water soon after the heavy winter rains the spinach will 





Showing Truck Ceops on Same Land Before and Afteb 
Tile Drainage. 



Spinach. 153 

soon tell laj turning yellow and dying. On upland where 
the seed has been sown on high beds with sufficient incline 
to quickly remove surface water the drainage will be suffi- 
cient. 

So far for fall sowing, but it is equally important that 
spring sowing should be made. The demand for spring 
spinach is not as great as that of fall on account of other 
vegetables taking its place, yet for a season at least there is 
good demand and the sowing may be commenced from the 
middle of February till the middle of March. Plant and 
cultivate the same as for fall sowing. Manuring for spin- 
ach should be heavy as said above. We put on spinach 
land from 40 to 50 tons of good barnyard manure per 
acre. If this be reduced a sufficient amount of commer- 
cial manure should be added to make up for the reduc- 
tion. This should analize 5-8-6, that is 5 per cent, 
ammonia, 8 per cent, available phosphate and 6 per cent, 
potash. As to varieties, but little can be said as they 
change so frequently and succeed differently in different 
soils. But for early fall and late sprring we prefer the 
"long standing" varieties, which stand more heat and dry 
weather while the "savoy leaf" varieties perhaps endure 
more cold, yet the yield is not as great as the former. As 
to the use of nitrate of soda around spinach, I have used 
it when it paid me handsomely, and then I have used it 
when the results were far from satisfactory. It all de- 
pends upon the condition of your soil and the time of ap- 
plying. It will pay you well to put some around your 
spring spinach if the growth is not vigorous enough. 

Atlanta, Ga. 



154 Truck Growing in the South. 



onio:ns i^ the south. 

By H. G. Hastings. 

The South sends several million dollars a year to the 
iSrorthern States and foreign countries for onions ; yet the 
onion as a commercial crop in the South, when properly 
handled, is the safest and most profitable vegetable crop 
that can be grown. Texas and Louisiana are the only 
Southern States where the onion is grown extensively as 
a market crop, and the Bermuda onion brings from one 
and a half to two million dollars cash every year into a 
comparatively limited territory in Texas. 

The culture of onions in the South presents three dis- 
tinct phases : the growth from fall-sown seed of the Ber- 
muda varities under irrigation as practiced in southwest 
Texas ; fall sowing of the Bermuda varieties and the Cre- 
ole in Florida and all along the Gulf Coast section of Geor- 
gia, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana and southeast Texas, 
a strip extending fifty to seventy-five miles back from the 
coast, the crop being grown with the natural rainfall ; and 
last, the gTowth of the crop from spring planted seed in 
the central South. 

Profitable crops of onions can be gro■v^^l almost any- 
where in this territory but the intending planter must re- 
member two things in connection with this crop ; first, 
that the onion is' a heavy feeder and requires either rich 
or heavily fertilized land ; second, the crop requires very 
careful cultivation from start to finish. An onion crop, 
to be successful, must have a much higher grade of treat- 
ment than the average negro hand gives cotton. Unless 



Onions in the South. 155 

the prospective onion grower is willing to give his crop 
careful attention he had hetter let it alone. Also, it is 
best for a beginner to start on a small scale, certainly 
not over an acre, unless you are associated with some one 
experienced in handling this crop, for no matter how 
complete directions may be given for gTOwing onions there 
are often peculiar local soil conditions that must be stud- 
ied and experimented with and just as valuable experience 
in growing and handling the crop can be obtained on a 
small scale as on a larger one and at a great deal less ex- 
pense. 

O'NTONs IN Texas Under iKRiaATiON. 

The writer has been closely associated with the Ber- 
muda onion industry of Texas and its start in 1892 or 
1893 was a small one. Mr. T. C. ISTye, of Laredo, Texas, 
the pioneer of the industry, in the attempt to find an on- 
ion that w^ould grow and produce satisfactorily in Texas' 
had never heard of the Bermuda onion until he got hold 
of one of our catalogues. He had tried all of the other 
varieties without success but sent to us for two ounces of 
the Bermuda seed. He was successful and the following 
year sent for a pound, and so on until his' neighbors began 
to take notice and follow in his footsteps and in less than 
a dozen years an industry shipping some 3,000 carloads 
was established. 

That portion of Texas is for all practical purposes arid, 
and all crops are grown with irrigation, the water being 
pumped mostly from the Rio Grande River, although 
some fifty miles north of Laredo artesian water is found 
in abundance. 

The general practice in that section is to thoroughly 



156 Teuck Growing iisr the South. 

break the land, usually with disc plows, then harrow down 
and plant a summer cover crop of cow peas. These are 
let grow until September , an occasional irrigation be- 
ing given. Some of the growers' let the ground stand un- 
cultivated during the summer months but the most suc- 
cessful growers generally now grow a summer cover crop 
of cow peas which are turned under, adding humus to 
the soil. Whenever obtainable stable manure is broad- 
casted and plowed in, the effects of a single application 
of manure showing for years afterward. 

Seed is sown in seed beds usually from September 15th 
to October 1st and let grow until about the size of a slate 
pencil before transplanting. On seed bed basis, seed is 
planted at the rate of thirty to thirty-five pounds per acre, 
one acre of seed bed usually furnishing sufficient number 
of plants to set ten to twelve acres. 

In the Laredo section the beds are laid out twelve to 
fifteen feet wide and 100 to 200 feet in length with 
raised borders to hold the water. The Laredo practice is 
to flood the beds and with their loose, quickly draining 
soil this is undoubtedly best but it would be fatal on heavy 
soils' that drain slowly. 

The seed is planted in dry soil followed immediately by 
an irrigation, a second one being given in five to seven 
days. 

Transplanting usually begins about November 15th 
and is seldom completed on the larger farms until Janu- 
ary 1st. Rows are laid off every sixteen to eighteen 
inches' apart, an onion plant being set every five or six 
inches in the row. In extra rich or highly fertilized 
soil they can be set as close as four inches — in fact it is 



Onions in the South. 157 

best to crowd them a little for extra large onions are not 
desirable in market. 

The young plants are dug from the seed beds and if no 
culls are wanted in the crop the smaller and weaker plants 
are discarded, the object being to get plants of even size 
and vigor that will make a uniform growth and size. Un- 
less this sorting of the young plants is done a large num- 
ber of the onions will be culls, unfit for market and occu- 
pying ground that could just as well make a marketable 
bulb. 

After digging and sorting, the plants are trimmed, 
about one-half of both top and roots being cut off. 

Lines are stretched to indicate the rows' and the holes 
are made with dibbles, these being followed by the setter 
who sticks the plant in the hole and firms the earth around 
it. By this method from 80,000 to 100,000 plants are 
set per acre. The transplanting is followed by irrigation 
and as soon as dry enough by surface cultivation with 
wheel hoes'. In close planting as described all labor must 
be hand work. !Ro directions can be given as to how often 
to irrigate. It's one of those things to be done just when 
needed, neither before or after, and it takes experience 
to know when it's needed. In the cool winter months one 
irrigation may last three weeks, later on with warmer 
weather and the bulbs forming rapidly, once a week is 
often necessary. 

Onions transplanted by December Is't in Texas usually 
complete the growth of top between March 1st and 10th, 
following which the bulbs form. This is indicated by the 
base of the plant beginning to swell. 

It used to be the practice to draw away the soil from 
onions as they began to bulb. We are satisfied that this 



158 Teuck Geowing in the South. 

is a mistake, especially so with flat varieties like the Ber- 
muda. If the bulbs remain covered there is just enough 
pressure from a rightly irrigated soil to thicken them up 
in more marketable shape than if allowed to spread out 
on the surface. We have seen them as large as saucers 
and very thin. This is not desirable, the most saleable 
size being three to four inches in diameter. 

The maturity of the crop is indicated by the dying of 
the top beginning at the tip. When dead about half to 
two-thirds of the way down the crop may be plowed up. 
After plowing up, the onions should be allowed to stay m 
the field from one to two days to cure before trimming, 
but in hot sections like South Texas the bulbs should be 
protected from sim scalding. If placed right, the dying 
tops will usually be sufficient protection. As soon as the 
tops have dried they are clipped off and the onions placed 
in field crates, these in turn being taken to the packing 
houses where they are graded and packed in the crates 
for shipment to market. 

Bermuda onions are rather tender and the more care- 
fully handled the better condition they will reach market 
in. Many a crop in Texas has been turned from profit 
to loss by careless and rough handling in field or packing 
house. 

Bermuda onions should not be shipped in bags. The 
most satisfactory packages are the O'wosso and Cummer 
crates which hold a little over fifty pounds, are strong and 
at the same time give perfect ventilation. 

There are three varieties of the Bermuda onion, the 
Crystal Wax, which is a pure slivery white color; the 
Wliite Bermuda, which is really a light yellow or straw 



160 Truck Growing in the South. 

color and the Red. The Crystal Wax and the White are 
the varieties grown for market. 

OjSfiONs IN Florida and the Gulf Coast Section". 

The Bermuda varieties and the Creole onion of Louis- 
iana are the only safe varieties for this section and all of 
t.hem should be planted from September 15th to November 
1st. It is generally customary in Florida and this entire 
section to plant seed in open ground where the crop is to 
be grown, thinning out to a stand. Our observation of 
and experience with this crop covers' some twenty years 
and every year's observation convinces us that planting in 
beds and transplanting is the best and most profitable 
method in spite of the labor involved. The transplanting 
saves three weedings and the thinning out and where the 
plants' are sorted it means a full stand of uniform sized 
and maturing plants, a thing utterly impossible where one 
sows to a stand. Another point is seed-saving. When 
sown in beds two and a half to three pounds of seed will 
usually furnish sufficient vigorous plants for an acre while 
four to five pounds are necessary to insure a stand with 
the other method. 

In Florida and the coast section, what are commonly 
called "hammock" lands are the favorite lands for this 
crop. Low pine lands along the edges of lakes, creeks' and 
rivers, lands that stay moist but not wet are admirably 
adapted to this crop when well fertilized. Some of the 
best onion crops we have ever seen were produced on what 
are known as the "marl prairie" lands of the lower East 
Coast of Florida, lands' bordering the Everglades. The 
muck lands produce enormous crops but unless well 



Onions in the South. 161 

drained and have been under cultivation sufficient length 
of time to get out all the "sourness" they should not be 
used for commercial crops of onions. They will make 
big crops but the onions will be overgrown and of such 
irregular shape as to be unsaleable. Neither will onions 
grown on such land keep, but rot shortly after being har- 
vested. 

In that section the ground should be thoroughly broken 
up about September 1st and harrowed. All grass, roots, 
sticks' and trash should be removed. Every ten days or 
so the piece of onion land should be run over with a har- 
row or cultivator to kill the weeds and grass that ha* 
started and not later than two weeks before transplanting 
from one to two tons of high grade commercial fertilizer 
should be applied per acre and plowed in lightly. Fertil- 
izer formulas will be given later. The seed bed can be 
handled as in the Texas' practice except that irrigation 
is not needed. On the heavier soils do not cover the seed 
over one-half inch; in sandy soils three-quarters to one 
inch of loose soil can be used in covering. Unless planted 
in showery weather the soil should be firmed or rolled af- 
ter planting. 

If you are sowing in open ground where the crop is to 
stand and intensive culture given, the land should be laid 
off in rows fourteen to sixteen inches apart, with the un- 
derstanding that all cultivation is to be done with wheel 
hoes or cultivators. Seed should be drilled in, using four 
to five pounds of seed per acre. With seasonable weather 
the seed should germinate in five to eight days and as 
soon as the rows are well defined, light surface cultiva- 
tion should begin and be continued frequently until the 
bulbs are at least half grown. The onion is largely a 



162 Teuce: Growing in the South. 

surface feeder and cultivation should only be deep enougli 
to kill young grass' and weeds and prevent the formation 
of a crusted surface. When plants are about six inches 
high the thinning out process should begin — leaving, on 
average good quality land, one strong plant every four to 
five inches in the row. "Skips" or missed stand places' 
will usually be found in the rows and these can be filled 
from surplus plants from other places. In very rich soil 
they can be left as close as three inches in the row. The 
greater part of the growth of this crop is in winter when 
the weed and grass growth is at a minimum ; at the same 
time the few weeds that do come should be promptly re- 
moved. Keep the crop growing as steadily as possible, 
this being done by the frequent cultivations. An onion 
crop frequently checked in its growth will invariably 
make many "thick-necks" or "scallions" and throw up 
seed heads about time of maturity. 

The first effort of the onion plant is to complete its 
growth of top. This top growth must be practically com- 
plete before the bulb begins to form. The beginning of 
bulbing is indicated by the swelling at the base of the 
plant. In Florida and along the Gulf this swelling be- 
gins between March 1st and 15th and the bulb or onion is 
usually matured in five to six weeks after, the maturity be- 
ing indicated by the dying tops. 

If you have been working under the system of "sowing 
to a stand" you will find it impossible to harvest the crop 
satisfactorily at one time. The weaker plants will hardly 
mature for two to four weeks after the strongest ones and 
if plowed up when the first half of the crop is mature 
there is bound to be a heavy waste. Sowing seed in beds 
followed by transplanting with sorted plants of uniform 



Onions in the South. 163 

size insures uniformity of maturity and size of onions. 
Mr. Nye, of Laredo, Texas, follows this plan of sorting 
the young plants to uniform size and it is a rare thing 
for him to have any "culls" in his crop. 

With a transplanted crop the entire field should be 
plowed up as soon as well matured. The onions should 
be picked up and placed in rows in the field if weather 
is dry and let cure two or three days. Place so that the 
bulbs will not be exposed to the sun. Sun-burn or sun- 
scald starts rotting. If weather is showery or damp the 
onions should be brought under cover and spread thinly 
on a barn or shed floor, letting the tops remain on until 
well dried. When ready to pack and ship the tops should 
be clipped off close to the bulb, sheep shears being prefer- 
able for the work. Handle carefully so as not to bruise. 
If the onions are to be marketed locally and in small quan- 
tities we advise leaving the tops on the bulbs until ready 
to market, especially so in humid climates like Florida 
and the Gulf Coast. Clipped onions will often rot in 
four to six weeks in humid climates while we have seen 
Bermudas with the top or "straw" left on and spread thin 
keep until Christmas, the onions being harvested in April. 

Fertilizing and Feetilizees. 

Onions require either a naturally rich soil or heavy 
fertilizing to make good size. If your soil is not fertile 
make it so with well-rotted manure or commercial fertiliz- 
ers. In many onion growing sections manure in sufficient 
quantity is unobtainable. If this be your ease, commer- 
cial fertilizers are necessary. If your soil is sandy, or 
sandy loam, use fertilizer containing 6 per cent, available 



164 



Tkuck Gkowing in the South. 



phosphoric acid, 8 to 9 per cent, potash, 5 to 6 per cent, 
nitrogen. Use a ton of this on land that is considered 
fertile enough for an ordinary crop ; two tons may be ap- 
plied on land that has been cropped several years. 



AMOUNTS OF FERTILIZERS. 



'Element. 



Nitrogen 



Potash 



Pounds 
•per acre 



. 100-200 



.180-360. 



Pounds of different material for one acre. 

ir,no to 3000 lbs. cottonseed meal; or 
700 to 1400 lbs. nitrate of soda ; or 

1000 to 2000 lbs. dried blood ; or 

1400 to 2800 lbs. guano ; or 
500 to 1000 lbs. sulphate of ammonia. 

2200 to 4400 lbs. kainit; or 
300 to 720 lbs. muriate of potash ; or 
350 to 700 lbs. sulphate of potash ; or 
700 to 1400 lbs. sulphate of potash and 
sulphate of magnesia. 



Phos. Acid.. 120-240 



ri2 

\ 10 



200 to 2400 lbs. 
1000 to 2000 lbs. 



acid phosphate ; or 
dissolved bone. 



If your soil is stiff, heavy or a red clay, use one con- 
taining 8 per cent, available phosphoric acid, 5 per cent, 
potash, and 5 per cent, nitrogen. If you want to make a 
full crop you should use from 1,000 to 2,000 pounds of 
high-grade fertilizer per acre. A word of caution, how- 
ever, about commercial fertilizers. They should always 
be put in the gTound two or three weeks before the seed is 
sown. As soon as these fertilizers go in the ground and 
come in contact with moisture a chemical change begins. 
While that change is taking place heat is generated which 
usually continues for some two weeks. If seed comes in 
contact with the fertilizer while this chemical change is 
taking place the vitality is "burned out" of the seed and 
it will not germinate. This is especially true here in the 
South where cottonseed-meal is so largely used as a source 
of nitrogen in the fertilizers. Thousands of pounds of 
seed are "burned up" in this way every year and the 



Onions in the South. 165 

planter very often can not understand why he fails to a 
greater or less extent in getting a stand. 

Onions in the Centeal South. 

There is a generally mistaken idea prevalent that it is 
impossible to grow profitable crops of onions in the Cen- 
tral South or cotton belt directly from the seed, most peo- 
ple having the idea that it is necessary to either plant 
sets or else to grow the sets from seed sown in the spring 
then plant out the sets the following fall or spring. As 
good and profitable crops of onions can be grown in the 
Central South as any other section providing our people 
will give this crop the same care and fertilizing that grow- 
ers in other sections do. We have become so used to a 
slip-shod method of growing cotton and corn that we can't 
seem to get down to the high fertilizing and intensive 
methods necessary to succeed with a staple vegetable crop 
like onions. 

So far as growing a market crop of onions is concerned 
forget that there is such a thing as an onion set. Sets are 
all right in their place^ — the home garden, for a few very 
early onions, and for the local market gardener to sell 
bunches, but as a foundation for a market crop of matured 
bulbs they are a delusion. A set very seldom makes a 
nice shaped marketable bulb, they are not good keepers 
and almost invariably show a large per cent, of "thick 
necks" and scallions. It also takes about ten bushels of 
sets, to plant an acre and when sets are $2.25 to $2.Y5 per 
per bushel this almost prohibitive. 

The Bermuda varieties can be successfully grown in 
the Central South from spring planted seed. Seed plant- 




CouNTBY Gentleman Corn. 



Onions in the South. 167 

ed in late February will mature full sized onions by July 
15th. If seed is planted thickly in cold frames or pro- 
tected beds in December or about January 1st the plants 
will usually be. ready for transplanting to open ground as 
early as the soil can be worked in the spring. 

i'or general market purposes however, dependence 
should be placed in the Prizetaker, the three Globe va- 
rieties (White, Yellow and Red) and the Australian 
Brown. This latter has not been as generally successful 
as the first named although it is the best keeper of all, 
having kept a full year in perfect condition. 

For best results the ground used for onions should have 
been under clean culture the year previous. If you ex- 
pect to grow onions for a crop regularly, set aside a piece 
of ground and keep it in onions year after year and you 
will get better results. If kept perfectly clean as it should 
be the expense of weeding and cultivation will grow less 
each year. 

Onions ground in this section should be plowed in the 
fall and let stay in rough state through the winter. 
Freezing disintegrates the clods. If dry enough plow 
again thoroughly in spring, then harrow until the soil h 
as fine as possible. If you have your plants in seed bed 
do not be in too great hurry to transplant. A harrowing 
of your ground every week will kill out thousands of 
young weeds and grass plants that would make trouble 
later on. In the latitude of Atlanta April 1st is early 
enough to transplant and this can be done as described in 
the Texas practice. If you intend to plant seed in the 
open, follow the practice described for Florida and plant 
seed latter part of February or first half of March. This 
matter of date is dependent on season conditions and must 



168 Teuck Growing in the South. 

be varied to meet the conditions of each season. The onion 
piant is semi-hardj and will stand considerable cold. 
Bermuda varieties will stand about 20 degrees above zero, 
the others about 15 above without material injury. The 
tops may be knocked down or even killed but they will 
come out again. 

The open ground planted seed must have frequent and 
thorough cultivation else the grass and weeds will take the 
crop and the onions die down in the "set" stage. If the 
onions are kept growing rapidly by sufficient cultivation 
there will be no stopping of growth in the "set" stage. 
The fact that onions die down so generally at that stage 
is from lack of sufficient cultivation, and that seems to 
have been the trouble in the Central South in the past. 
The grower has let his crop stop growing from lack of 
sufficient cultivation. 

What has been said about sowing seed in beds, sorting 
the young plants to uniform size so as to give uniform 
onions in the crop applies to spring planting in the Central 
South as well as to fall planting in the other sections. 

With high fertilizing and the best of cultivation, crops 
of from 400 to 500 bushels per acre are not uncommon, 
and it is a rare thing for onions to be worth less than $1.00 
per bushel in the wholesale markets of Atlanta and other 
Southern cities. It's not a fancy price crop but it's a 
staple crop at a fairly steady price. If the market is 
glutted at harvest it's a crop that, if it has been properly 
gro^^Ti, can be kept for months if necessary. It's the 
safest vegetable crop that can be grown South, but it's not 
a crop to play with or that will stand slip-shod, careless 
treatment. If the prospective planter will give it the at- 



ONioisrs IN THE South. 169 

tention it deserves and must have he will find it one of the 
best of paying crops — otherwise he had best let onions as 
a crop entirely alone. 

Atlanta, Ga., September, 1910. 



170 



Truck Growing in the South. 



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Seed Table. 



171 



QUANTITY OF SEED REQUIRED TO SOW AN ACRE 



Variety. 



How Planted. 



Quantity. 



Asparagus 

Beans, Dwarf 

Beans, Pale 

Beets 

Cabbage 

Carrots 

Corn 

Corn, for silo 

Cucumber 

Cress, Water 

Cress, Upland .- 

Kale, German 

Mustard 

Melons, Musk 

Melons, Water 

Onions 

Onions, for rSets . . . 

Onion, sets 

Parsnip 

Peas, English 

Potatoes, cut, tubers 

Pumpkin 

Radish 

Sage 

Salsify 

Spinach 

Squash, Bush 

Squash, Running . . . 

Tomato 

Turnips 

Tnrriins 



DTills 

Drills 

Hills 

Drills 

In beds to transplant 

Drills 

Hills 

Drills 

Hills 

Drills 

Drills 

Drills 

Drills 

Hills 

Hills 

Drills 

Drills 

Drills 

Drills 

Drills 

Drills 

Hills 

Drills 

Drills 

Drills 

Drills 

Hills 

Hills 

To transplant .... 

Drills 

Bro'idcast 



4 to 5 quarts. 

2 bushels. 

10 to 12 quarts. 

5 to 6 pounds, 
one-half pound. 

3 to 4 pounds. 
8 to 10 quarts. 
3 bushels. 

2 to 3 pounds. 
2 to 3 pounds. 

2 to 3 pounds. 

3 to 4 pounds. 

4 to 5 pounds. 
2 to 3 pounds. 

4 to 5 pounds. 

5 to 6 pounds. 
30 pounds. 

6 to 8 bushels. 
4 to 6 pounds. 

2 bushels. 

10 to 12 bushels 
4 to 6 pounds. 
8 to 10 pounds. 
8 to 10 pounds. 
8 to 10 pounds. 
4 to 6 pounds. 
4 to 6 pounds. 

3 to 4 pounds, 
quarter pound. 
1 to 2 pounds. 
3 to 4 pnnnd<5. 



172 



Truck Geowing in the South. 



PLANTING TABLE FOR FLOWERS 

^^^HIS table is for vicinity of Atlanta. For other latitudes it is 
^^y well to go by time of blooming or leafing of trees. Where 
date of outdoor planting or setting is given as March, you can plant 
when the Peach is in blossom; and w^here April is the Month given, 
it is safe to plant w^hen the trees are in full leafage. 



VARIETY 


INDOORS 


OUTDOORS 


WHEN TO 
SEl' OUT 


Distance Be- 
tween Plants 


Ageratum 


March 


April 


3 in. high . . . 


6 inches 


Asters 


Jan. & Feb.. 
Feb. & Mar.. 


March-June . 
April 


After Frost. 
After Frost . 


9 inches 


Calliopsis 




Castor-oil Bean... 




April 




3 feet 


Candytuft 




Fall & Sprin 
March & Apr 
April & May 








Jan. & Feb.. 
Feb. & Mar.. 


April 

April-May . . 




Chrysanthemum . . , 
Cosmos 


9 inches 


Dahlia 






April-May . . 


3 feet 


Digitalis 








Korget-me-not .... 








12 inches 


Gourds 




April & May 




4 inches 


Hollyhocks 


Feb. & Mar.. 


6 in. high... 


2 feet 


Larkspur 






12 inches 










6 inches 


Mignonette 

Moming-Glory . . . . 


Feb. & Mar.. 


April-May . 
May 1st . . . 


April 


6 inches 
8 inches 


Nasturtiums 








6-10 inches 




Oct. & Nov.. 
March 


March 

April 


April-May . . 
April 








Phlox 


6 inches 










10 inches 


Portulaca 




April 15-June 
April 


April 15 . . . 
April 


4 inches 


Salvia 




18 inches 


Stock 




12 inches 


SunfloTTer 




April & May 
Jan. 15-Mar. . 


18 inches 


Sweet Pea 






Drill 


Sweet William . . . . 




March 

April 


April 

April 


8 inches 




March 






Broadcast 











Monthly Calendar. 173 



MONTHLY CAKENDAE OF OPEEATIONS. 

For the Mark:et Gardener and Farmer When and 
What to Pi^nt. 

This calendar is given to aid the amateur or beginner. 
It should be borne in mind that these recommendations 
apply mainly to the latitude of Birmingham, Ala., and 
ought to be varied according to locality. 

January — E^ow time to sow such seed as tomato, egg 
plant, cabbage, kohl rabi, cauliflower, in hot-beds or cold 
frames for plants ; potatoes may be planted as well as ex- 
tra early peas and onion sets ; a good time to work and fer- 
tilize your land. 

February — Plant potatoes, peas, beets, onion sets, salsi- 
fy, carrots, celery, egg plant, cabbage, lettuce, toma- 
to, radish, early corn, etc. In. fact, all the hardy things 
should be planted. Snap beans may be planted in some 
localities ; a good time to sow grass seed, oats, etc. 

March — Most anything may now be planted, such as 
melons, beans, cucumbers, turnips, mustard, col- 
lards, etc. Grass seed may still be successfully planted. 
Bed your sweet potatoes. 

April — Tim© to plant field corn; in fact, all kinds of 
field crops, such as millet, sorghum, cotton, peas, melons, 
squashes, pumpkins', stock beets. 

May — Time to plant pole beans, limas, okra, and all 
other things that have been overlooked. This month 
should be mostly occupied in planting successions of most 
all vegetables. 



174 Tkuck Geowing in the South. 

June — Not mucli is planted this montli except for late 
use. The wise gardener, however, makes a succession of 
plantings of most everything — cabbage, collards, beets, 
and ruta bagas are largely planted this month for late use. 

July — If you have not sown turnips you should do so 
at once. Sow winter cabbage ; collards, spinach, kale and 
other winter green crops should be planted. Fall crops 
of Irish potatoes should now be planted. Late crops of 
early corn have plenty time to make roasting ears. 

August — This is the great turnip planting month, and 
the proper time to plant most all vegetables for fall use, 
such as spinach, kale, winter radishes, mustard, turnips, 
lettuce, snap beans, early peas, winter cabbage, etc. Pota- 
toes for spring seed are often planted this late with suc- 
cess. 

September — Continue to plant such things as winter 
radish, kale, spinach, mustard, turnips, lettuce, etc. ; they 
are not affected by the cold nights in October, and will do 
well. Now getting time to sow fall grain, such as turf 
oats, clover, rye, barley, grass seed, etc, 

October — Continued to plant spinach, winter turnips, 
etc., and by all means think about the subject of sowing 
something for winter pasture. 

November — Plant onion sets, clovers, grasses and grain. 

December — If you wish to be early, this month is the 
proper time to sow cabbage, cauliflower, tomato and egg 
plant for early settings. 

Amzi Godden Seed Co. 



Maturity of Gaeden Crops. 175 



Time Kequiked foe. Matueity of Diffeeent Gaeben 
Ceops, Reckoned From Day of Sowing the Seed. 

Days 

Beans, String 45 to 65 

Beians, Shell 65 to 70 

Beets, Turnip 65 

Beets, Long 150 

Cabbage, Early 105 

Cabbage, Late 150 

Cauliflower . . . '. 110 

Com 75 

Eggplant 150 to 160 

Lettuce 65 

Melon, Water 120 to 140 

Melon, Musk 120 to 140 

Onion 135 to 150 

Pepper . . .' 140 to 150 

Radish 30 to 45 

Squash, Suinimer 60 to 65 

Squash, Winter 125 

Tomato 150 

Turnip 60 to 70 



176 Truck Growing in the South. 



AvEEAGE Time Required for Garden Seeds to Ger- 
minate. 

Days 

Beans 5 to 10 

Beet 7 to 10 

Cabbage 5 to 10 

Carrot 12 to 18 

Cauliflower 5 to 10 

Celery 10 to 20 

Corn 5 to 8 

Cucumber 6 to 10 

Endive 5 to 10 

Lettuce 6 to 8 

Melon 4 to 8 

Onion 7 to 10 

Pea 6 to 10 

Parsnip 10 to 20 

Pepper 9 to 14 

Pumpkin 4 to 8 

Radish 3 to 6 

Salsify 7 to 12 

Squash 4 to 8 

Tomato 6 to 12 

Turnip 4 to 8 



Spraying and Protective Calendar. 



177 



SPRAYING AND PROTECTIVE CALENDAR 



PESTS 
Fungoids 

CHEWING INSECTS 

Sucking Insects 


REMEDY 


PROCEDURE. 


codling moth 

diabratica 

Bud moth 

canker woem 

curculio 

Tent Caterpillar 

Bitter Rot 

Black Rot 

Canker 

Scab 

Scale 

Leaf Aphis 

WOOLLY APHIS 

BLIGHT 

BORERS (Round 
and Flat Headed) 

RUST 

CROWN GALL 
H'TT^Y ROOT 


1 


APPLE. 

4-6-50 Bordeaux and 
4 % ounces Paris 
Green 

Lime-Sulphur Wash 
Tob. Pyrethrum Tea 
Tobacco Dust 

Manual 

Manual 

Manual 

Manual 


Initial spraying before buds 
open 

For codling moth spray ex- 
actly when blossoms are 
falling and fruit the size 
of a pea 

For subsequent sprayings 
follow at interyals of 
three weeks till fruit is 
nearly grown 

In Dec. and Feb. as above 

Dip terminals in bucket 

1 to 5 lbs. at roots in Apr. 
and Au.g. 

Amputate affected termi- 
nals 

Paint trunk with thick 
Whale Oil Soap 

Remove all neighboring 
cedar trees 

Reject affected stock 


diabratica 

Canker Worm 

codling moth 

Slug 

Leaf Blight 

Scab J 

Aphis 

Scale 

LEAF BLISTER 

(Phytaps) 
TWIG BLIGHT 

(Psylla and Xyla- 

borus) 
FIRE BLIGHT 
CPOWN GALL 




PEAR, 

4-6-50 Bordeaux and 
4 V-i ounces Paris 
Green 

Tob. Pyrethrum Tea 
Lime-Sulphur Wash 
Manual 

Manual 

Manual 
Manual 


Spray precisely as advised 
for apples 

Dip as for louse on apple 

As for apples and above 

Burn fallen leaves 

Remove terminals 

Prune tree to spreading 
form ; remove fruit spurs 
on main arms and am- 
putate as blight shows 

Reiect affected stock 


Scale 

Leaf Curl 1 

Brown Rot 1 

Scab 

Mildew y 

DIABRATICA 
CURCULIO J 

Aphis 

BARK BEETLE 

(Scolytus) 
CROWN GALL 

BORER 

NEMATODES 


PEACH. 

Lime-Sulphur Wash 

3-9-50 Bordeaux and 
3 ozs. Paris Green 

Tob. Pyrethrum Tea 

Manual 

Manual 

Manual 

Manual 


Spray in Dec. and Feb. 

Spray first before buds 
open ; next, after blooms 
fall and at intervals of 
three weeks thereafter 
till fruit is nearly grown. 
Select clear days for 
spraying. Foliage ten- 
der 

Dip, as with apples ; if 
slight, remove terminals 

Destroy affected trees 

Re.iect affected stock ; de- 
stroy affected trees in 
plat 

Wrap trunk with paper and 
mound Aug. 1. — "Worm" 
by hand Oct. 25 

Reiect affected stock 



178 



Teuck Gkowing in the South. 



PESTS 






Fungoids 

CHEWING INSECTS 


REMEDY 


PROCEDURE. 


Sticking Insects 








PLUM. 




Scale 


Lime-Sulphur Wash 


Spray in Dec. and Feb. 


Black Knot 
Pockets and Blad- 










(1) 3-9-50 Bordeaux 


Spray as for peach with 


ders 




and 31/2 ozs. Paris 


(1) 


GONGER 




Green 




CURCULIO 




(2) Am. Copper Car- 


(2) for use after fruit 


Slug 




bonate 


is grown, if necessary 


Brown Rot 








Aphis 


Tob. Pyrethrum Tea 


Use as advised for peach 


CROWN GALL 






BORER 


Manual 


Treat as advised for peach 


BARK BEETLE 1 






CHERRY. 




SUNSCALD 


Manual 


Train tree to low head : 
shade S. W. side of 


Other Maladies iden- 


Bordeaux and Arse- 


trunk while young 


tical with plums. 


nite as for plums 


Same as for plum 


except "Leafspot" 






— a funTus 








QUINCE. 




Scale 


Lime-Sulphur Wash 


Apply in Dec. and Feb. 


Leaf and fruit spot "1 






Cdrculio 1- 


4-6-50 Bordeaux and 


Spray as for pear 


Slug J 


4 ozs. Paris Green 




CROWN GALL 




Manual 


As for pear 



Anthracnose 
Black Rot 
Brown Rot 
Mildew (Downy 
and Powdery) 
Plf.a Beetle 

CtTROULTO 

Dtabratica 
Leaf-hopper 



Aphis 



GRAPE. 



(1) 4-6-50 Bordeaux 
with 4 14 ounces 
Paris Green 

(2) Am. Copper Car- 
bonate 

Whale Oil Soan-l lb. 
to 10 gals, water 

Manual 



Sprav first as buds are 
swelling and thereafter 
at intervals of 3 weeks 
until fruit is nearly 
grown. except during 
blooming period 

For use after grapes begin 
to color, as it does not 
stain 

Sprav at first annearance 
and 5-dav Interva's until 
destroyed. See Note 4 

Renai'^e termlna's 







STRAWBERRY. 


Spray when "-rowth first 
starts in Spring and 


Rust 






every ten davs there- 


Mildew 




4-6-50 Bordeaux and 


after until fruit is half 


SAWFLY 




4 lA ounces Paris 


grown, omitting bloom- 


Leaf roller 


(and 


Green 


ing period. Mow and 


other chewin 


J in- 




burn plat after bearing 


sects) 






season. 






RASPBERRY. 




Leaf Spot 






Sprav when buds are swell- 


Anthracnose 




4-6-50 Bordeaux and 


ing and at 2-wk. Inter- 


SLUG 




4% ounces Paris 


vals subsequently. 


SAWFLY 




Green 


Remove canes with an- 
thracnose 


CROWN GALL 




Manual 


Reject infected nurs. stock 



Spkaying and Peotective Calendae. 



179 



PESTS 
Fungoids 

CHEWING INSECTS 

Sucking Insects 


REMEDY 


PROCEDURE. 


Leaf Spot 
Anthracnose 

SLUG 

Sawflt 

CROWN GALL 
ORANGE RUST 


BLACKBERRY, 
DEWBERRY, ETC. 

4-6-50 Bordeaux and 
5 ozs. Paris Green 

Manual 

Manual 


Proceed as with raspber- 
ries 

As with raspberries 

Remove affected parts and 
all contiguous wild black- 
berries 



Eust 



ASPARAGUS. 

(1) Copper Sulphate 
or Am. Copper Car- 
bonate 

(2) 4-6-50 Bordeaux 



When first shoots appear 
drench ground with (1) 
either preparation 

After cutting season spray 
with (2) at monthly in- 
tervals to midsummer 



Dtabratica 
FLEA Beetle 
Anthracnose 
Pox Rust 
Leaf Blight 



BEAN. 



4-6-50 Bordeaux and 
5 ozs. Paris Green 



Spray when plants are 

well up and every 2 

wks. till blossoming pe- 
riod 



Leaf Spot 
Scab 



BEET. 



4-6-50 Bordeaux 



On appearance of former 
and every 3 wks. after- 
wards for 5 sprayings. 
Rotate plat 



CUT Worms 



Cabbage worm 

FLEA Beetle 



cabbj\ge bug 
harlequin bug 



CABBAGE AND 
CAULIFLOWER. 

(1) I^aris Green or 
Sodium Arsenite 

(2) Bran Mash 

(1) Paris Green — 
% oz. to gallon of 
water 

(2) Sod. Arsenite 

(3) Hellebore 

Manual 
Manual 



Steep balls of cabbage 
leaves in the arsenite 
and distribute through 
plat at night. Use mash 
as per Note 

Spray on apnearance with 
(1). In 5 days spray 
with (2). Every week 
thereafter use (3) until 
disappearance 

Hand pick 

Trap with rows of mus- 
tard around plat 



Leaf Blight 
Rust 



CELERY. 



(1) 4-6-50 Bordeaux 

(2) Am. Copper Car- 
bonate 



Spray seed-bed with (1). 
Dip plants in (1) on 
setting out. Spray in 
10 days with (1) and at 
2-wk. intervals for 2 
more spravlngs. Then 
spray with (2) till 
"earthed" for bleaching 



180 



Truck Growing in the South. 



PESTS 






Fungoids 

CHEWING INSECTS 


REMEDY 


PROCEDURE. 


Snckinfj Insects 








CUCURBITS. 






Inolufling: 






Cucumber, 






Squash, 






Cantaloupe, 






AVatermelon, 






Pumpkin. 




Downy Mildew 




Spray, after plants are up. 


Wilt 


4-6-50 Bordeaux and 


every week until blooms 


DlABRATICA 


4 V' ounces Paris 


appear 


Melon worm 


Green 


A pinch of nitrate soda to 


FLEA BEE'lLB 




each hill pushes plants 
rapidly forward and 
strengthens their power 
of resistance to all pests 


Aphis 


Whale Oil Soap — V2 


On appearance — 2 spray- 




lb. to gal. water 


ings 5 days apart 
Hand pick when in num- 


SQUASH BUG 


Manual 


bers 
Early planting is the only 


PICKLE WORM 


Manual 


safeguard of muskmelon 
asrain^t this pest 



Leaf Spot 
Colo, potato 

Beetle 



EGGPLANT. 

4-6-50 Bordeaux 
with 5 ozs. Paris 
Green 



Spray plants continuously 
in cold frame : dip, on 
transplanting and spray 
at weekly intervals 
thereafter for 5 weeks 



Thrips 



ONION. 

Whale Oil Soap — Va 
Ih. to gal. water 



Spray on appearance of 
pest and weekly until 
extermination 



Scab 

Blight (Early and 

Late) 
Rot 
Colo, potato 

Beetle 
Flea Beetle 



POTATO (IRISH). 

(1) Corrosive Subli- 
mate (2 ozs. to 30 
gals.) or 

(2) Formalin (1 pt. 
to 80 gals.) 

4-6-50 Bordeaux and 
6 to 8 ozs. Paris 
Green 



Soak tubers in sack with 

(1) for 3 hrs., or with 

(2) for 2 hrs., before 
cutting and planting 

Commence to spray as 
soon as plants are well 
up and at weekly Inter- 
vals until grown 



Rots, of all kinds 



SWEET POTATO. 

(1) Formalin (1 pt. 
to 30 gals.) 

(2) Copper Sulphate 
(3 lbs. to 50 gals.) 



Soak tubers with (1) for 
2 hrs. before bedding. 
Water beds with (2). 
Handle carefully on dig- 
ging and rotate both 
beds and field areas 



Spraying and Pkotective Calendae. 



181 



PESTS 








Pungoids 

CHEWING INSECTS 




REMEDY 


PROCEDURE. 


Sucking Insects 












TOMATO. 




Cut Worms 




Paris Green or Bran 


Apply as directed for cab- 






Mash 


bages 


Damping — off 




Manual 


Cease pruning and with- 


Leaf Curl 






hold water 


Mildew 






Spray and seed bed (cold 


Flea Beetle 






frame) and after trans- 


Tomato — Sphynx 




4-6-50 Bordeaux and 


planting at weekly or 


and all Insects 




5 ozs. Paris Green 


10-day intervals until 


conveying germs 


■ 




fruit is nearly grown 


of Bl. Rot and 




Manual 


Drench ground beneath 


Bacterial Blight 






vines till disappearance 






Copper Carbonate 


Trap with adjacent rows 


Florida Blight 






of sweet corn and crush 


BOLL WORM 






in shuck 






HOT-HOUSE 








PLANTS. 




All fungoid affectio 


n 


Copper Carbonate 


Spray whenever needed, or 


and Biting I> 


f- 


and 1 pt. Sod. Ar- 


at intervals of 3 wks. 


SECTS 




senite 


for precaution 
Evaporate (hot iron In 


All Plant Lice 




"Nikoteen" — a patent 


pan) as per directions 


(aphids) and othe 


r 


preparation but re- 


with remedy 


Suckinff Insects 





liable 





182 Truck Geowing in the South. 



Plant Diseases aee of Two Ci^sses : 

1. Insect Pests^ — Preparations for whose destruction 
are known as "Insecticides." 

2. Fungous Affections^ — ^Preparations for whose de- 
struction are known as "Fungicides." 

1. Insects. 
They are of two kinds : 

1. Biting Insects (or Chewing Insects), which bodily 
devour vegetable tissue, subsisting largely on the foliage 
of plants. As they take the food material into their 
stomachs they may be readily destroyed by violent poisons, 
as the arsenites. To this class belong the Colorado potato 
beetle, most caterpillars, and, in general, all defoliating 
insects. 

For them Paris Qreen (Formula One) is the principal 
remedy, and usually a speedy one, applied in liquid 
form by means of a spray pump, through the nose of a 
watering-pot or t^prinkled with a broom, in the propor- 
tion of 1 ounce to 10 gallons of water, or 5 ounces 
to the barrel of 50 gallons, except when used on orchard 
trees, and especially on peaches, whose foliage is very 
sensitive, when it should be reduced to 4 ounces and 3 
ounces, respectively. 

2. Sucking Insects — Having a tubular sucking appa- 
ratus which they insert into the soft vegetable tissue and 
from it extract the sap. To this class belongs all scale in- 
sects, aphids or plant lice, and the "true" bugs, such as the 
pumpkin or squash bug, the harlequin cabbage bug, etc. 



Spraying and Pkotective Calendar. 183 

As their sucking tubes would push. harmles:slj to one 
side the particles of poison deposited on the surface of 
leaf or twig these insects can not be reached through their 
stomachs. They must therefore, be destroyed through ex- 
ternal applications. Kerosene (preferably as an emul- 
sion — Formula 3a) is found to stop their breathing pores 
and instantly smother them, and in the past has been the 
chief weapon against sucking insects. But on account of 
the difficulty in economically applying it, Whale Oil Soap 
(Formula 4), though not so effective, is preferable when- 
ever it can be substituted. Certain other preparations', 
as Pyrethrum (or Dalmatian powder — Formula 6), To- 
bacco Infusion (Formula 5), etc., are also more or less 
serviceable. 

11. Fungous Affections. 

Fungoid and bacterial affections are more numerous 
and widespread than insect pests, and usually more in- 
sidious, yet effective remedies, while many, may, for all 
practical purposes, be reduced to one : Bordeaux Mixture. 
This, if a fungus is capable of control, will generally prove 
more effective than any other fungicide. It may be su- 
perseded, when it is desirable not to stain the fruit by 
Ammonical Copper Carbonate (Formula 11). 



184 Truck Growing in the South. 

FORMULAS. 

I. Insecticides. 

1. Paris Green. 

(A) Applied Dry: 

Paris Green 8 ozs. 

Flour (or Lime) 15 lbs. 

(B) Sprayed: 

Paris Green 5 ozs. 

Lime 6 lbs. 

Water 50 gals. 

(C) With Bordeaux: 

Paris Green 5 ozs. 

Bordeaux Mixture , 50 gals. 

2. Sodium Arsenite. 

Sals'oda (crystallized) 4 lbs. 

White Arsenic 1 lb. 

Water , 1 gal. 

Dissolve tbe salsoda in the water, add the white ar- 
senic and boil till clear. Add water to replace that evap- 
orated to make 1 gallon stock solution. Use 1 pint to 50 
gallons of water or Bordeaux. 

3. Kerosene. 

(A) Emulsified — "Cook's Formula:" 

Kerosene 1 qt. 

Whale Oil Soap (or other good hard soap, 

as Babbitt's', Ivory or Glory) % lb. 

Pain water (or water known to be soft) . . 1 gal. 
Shave soap, dissolve it in the water, heat to almost boil- 



FOBMULAS. 185 

ing and then add the kerosene and churn through a cheap 
force pump until emulsified. Dilute with 2% gallons of 
water, making 1 part kerosene to 14 parts water. This 
produces about a 7 per cent, miixture. Diluting with 2 
gallons of water about 8 per cent, is obtained ; 9 per cent. 
with 1% gallons; about 11 per cent, with 1 gallon, and 
some 15 per cent, with 2 quarts. This is suflficiently 
strong for most purposes. Yet it is well to begin with 
the standard 7 per cent, until its effect on foliage has been 
])ersonally observed. 

(B) Mechanical Mixture — temporarily emulsified by 
the Kero-water Sprayers. A lever regulates the per cent. 
of kerosene admitted to the nozzle. As the delivery, how- 
ever, is not always exact, the Emulsion is decidedly pref- 
erable. Kero-water Sprayers, indeed, if used at all, 
should be carefully watched. 

4. Whale Oil Soap. 

Whale Oil Soap 1 lb. 

Water 6 gals. 

Dissolve and spray for Alphids on foliage in summer, 
or concentrate to 1 lb. to 3 gals, of water for wash for the 
softer scales in winter. 

5. Tobacco Infusiotst. 

Tobacco Stems 1 lb. 

Boiling Water 4 gals. 

"Cool and strain. For Plant Lice, Flea Beetles, etc. 

6. Pyrethrum. 
(A) Decoction: 

Pyrethrum Powder 1 oz. 

Water (warm) 2 gals. 



186 Teuck Growing in the South, 

(B) Dry Application: — Mix 1 part (by weight) of 
Pyrethrum with 4 parts of Flour. Keep closed for 24 
hours before dusting, that the flour may be permeated by 
the essential oil of the pyrethrum, 

7. Tobacco-Ptretheum Tea. 

Tobacco Stems % lb. 

Pyrethrum Powder % oz. 

Boiling Water 1 gal. 

For obdurate cases of Plant Lice on young apple trees. 
Dip the affected terminals in the tea. 

11. Fungicides. 
9. Bordeaux Mixture. 

Copper Sulphate (bluestone) 4 lbs. 

Quick Lime 6 lbs. 

Water 50 gals. 

Dissolve the bluestone in 2 gallons of hot water ; strain 
through thei copper sieve of the sprayer or through a gunny 
sack into a 50-gallon barrel. Slake the lime slowly in a 
wooden bucket, and when ebullition is over dilute to a 
thick whitewash. Strain slowly into the bluestone in the 
barrel, stirring thoroughly. Fill the barrel with water. 
Always stir well before filling the sprayer. The cost of 
this mixture is less than one cent per gallon. 

In case the mixture is not to be immediately used it is 
well to make a "stock solution," in separate barrels, of 
both bluestone and limC' — one pound of each to the gallon 
of water. A gallon of either mixture will thus represent 
1 pound of bluestone and 1 pound of lime, respectively, 



Formulas. 187 

and the two maj be readily combined in any desired pro- 
portion. 

Tor application to peach foliage (for brown rot, leaf 
curl, etc) a 3-9-50 mixture (3 pounds of bluestone, 9 
pounds lime and 50 gallons of water) must be used in- 
stead of the normal 4-6-50 formula. Peach foliage is 
extremely sensitive. When Paris Green is combined with 
the Bordeaux (4 ozs. to 50 gallons) it should not be stirred 
in until just before spraying. 

10. Copper Sulphate. 

Copper Sulphate (bluestone) 4 ozs. 

Water . 50 gals. 

For the initial spraying before foliage is set or for win- 
ter use; also when ground is to be drenched — as in antici- 
pation of the Florida blight of the tomato. 

11. Ammoniacal, Copper Carbonate. 

Copper Carbonate 6 ozs. 

Aqua Ammonia (strong, 26 degs.) .... 2 qts. 

Water , 50 gals. 

Make a paste of the copper carbonate with water, dilute 
the ammonia with 1% gallons of water and stir in the 
paste until thoroughly dissolved, making 2 gallons, stock 
solution. Keep the stock solution in a glass vessel stopped 
with glass or rubber, and on using dilute each quart with 
6 gallons of water. 

12. Formaldehyde (Formalin) — 1 pint to 30 gallons 
of water. 

For Potato Scab, and for purposes of general disinfec- 



188 Tkuok Geowing in the South. 

tion. The tubers should be suspended in a gunny sack and 
immeTsed in a barrel of the liquid for two hours before 
cutting and planting. When used for Smut in grain di- 
lute 1 pint to 50 gallons of water. 

13. CoBEOSiVE Sublimate (Mercuric bi-chloride) . 

Corrosive Sublimate 2 ozs. 

Water 30 gals. 

For Potato Scab. Soak as directed with Formalin, but 
for 3 instead of 2 hours. This is a violent poison, inter- 
nally, and great care should be observed in its use. 

14. Lime-Sulphur Wash. 

Lime (unslaked) 21 lbs. 

Sulphur (flowers of) 18 lbs. 

Water 50 gals. 

Make a paste of the sulphur and stir same into 15 gal- 
lons of boiling water. Add the lime and stir thoroughly 
while slaking. Boil violently for 35 or 40 minutes, or 
until the mixture is a yellowish-green color. Dilute, be- 
before the boiling closes, to 50 gallons and spray while 
still warm. 

For winter application for San Jose Scale and also an 
effective fungicide for Plum Pocket, Leaf Curl, Black 
Knot, etc. The original Lime-Sulphur-Salt compound 
has' now been almost entirely superseded by thei foregoing, 
which proves equally effective and more economical. 

NOTE. 

"Bran Mash," for Cut Worms, is made by stirring mo- 
lasses and sodium arsenite with bran and applying a tea- 
spoonful here and there through plat at nightfall. 



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